An Ordinary Life
by lightmylumiere
Summary: The day Clyde robs the grocery store, he's not the only one with an announcement. Bonnie/Clyde family-centric, Buck and Blanche will be added into the plot later. T for, well, it's Bonnie and Clyde. Please read and review!
1. Too Late to Turn Back

Too Late to Turn Back

Bonnie was still awake waiting for Clyde. She knew she should've been asleep, he would expect her to be asleep when he got back. But she had to talk to him, and it couldn't wait until the morning. If she didn't tell someone she was going to explode! And Clyde was the first person who had to know...

Bonnie was pregnant.

Of course, she should've known the signs. Pregnancy wasn't uncommon in West Dallas, or anywhere really. She had been a married woman, and she certainly wasn't stupid enough to not know how babies were created. Bonnie should've seen the signs: her moodiness, the nausea, but more importantly that she hadn't had her period since... God, she stopped counting. She got up out of the bed to go look herself over in the mirror. Her chiseled ab muscles had disappeared under a thin layer of pudge, she had figured that was from the surprisingly better eating she got while on the run with Clyde. How foolish she had been to overlook such things!

The door opened and closed and Clyde came in. Bonnie tumbled back into the bed and pretended like she had been asleep. He didn't pay much attention to her, he just came in sadly like she wasn't even there. "Hey." She tried to get his attention. "S'matter baby?" He still didn't respond, just took off his coat and threw it on top of her skirt and sweater set. It was so sweet that he picked that out for her, too bad it probably wasn't going to fit too much longer… wait, sweaters stretched, didn't they? She could probably make it work for a while; Clyde would have to stop spoiling her and save up money for their baby… "Clyde, look at me."

Finally he responded to her. "Holding up a grocery store in Hillsboro… easy money, y'know, in and out, no one gets hurt… he had his gun right on me… I had no time…It was either him or me…"

Clyde had killed a man. Bonnie didn't know quite what to say. She couldn't walk into her news after hearing something like that; she had to leave him while she could; if not for her sake, for the sake of their child. But was that the right thing? She loved him more than life itself. She got angry, and yes she fussed more than she wished she had, but he reeled her back in: kissing her neck, lifting her up onto the dresser. Bonnie couldn't help but let him back in. She always would. That was what love was, wasn't it? Forgiveness? Before she let things go too far she had to tell him what was on her mind. Bonnie didn't want to kill the rekindled passion in that bedroom with her announcement. She had finally accepted this life of crime she was now a part of, whether she wanted to be a part of it or not. She loved Clyde, and she was going to be with him no matter what.

Maybe the announcement was better for another date. Or better yet, he was a smart guy. He'd figure it out sooner or later.

…a week later, the two are back in West Dallas…

Bonnie and Clyde came to visit their family, but it wasn't a particularly happy occasion. Clyde had already gone up to the house to visit his parents and give them a little money, but they didn't support his lifestyle and especially not the fact that he shot and killed an officer. She wanted to go up to the house and say hello to his parents, but she wasn't feeling well and she didn't want to change the subject from the money Clyde was giving them. Chances were Mrs. Barrow was more observant than her son, and would've noticed that little Bonnie had put on some weight and wasn't quite the young lady she remembered. She didn't think she could've handled having that kind of conversation with his mother before telling him herself.

Seeing her mother was going to be a nightmare. Her mother was more observant than most women, and she knew just about everything about Bonnie. And she was so determined that Bonnie's husband was coming back, even though he had been gone for so long. She wouldn't have appreciated her grandchild as much as she would've if her little redheaded daughter was married and not spending her time on the road with a criminal. Mrs. Parker would've preferred her daughter to have been a waitress forever over being a convict.

Clyde came back to the car, head hung, and she was waiting for him. She had to tell him now before they got to her mama's. "Clyde, baby…" He placed his hand on her cheek and gave her a kiss. She cut him off. "Baby, I gotta tell you somethin'." He pulled away and looked at her with false anxiousness. Clyde pretended to be on the edge of his seat for her words. Bonnie hoped and prayed he would be as excited once she told him. "I—we're—pregnant."

The look on his face said it all. All the excitement and anxiousness he had displayed earlier was gone. Clyde didn't look necessarily disappointed, but he wasn't pleased with this new information. "You sure?" He asked. It wasn't a good statement or a bad one, and Bonnie didn't exactly know what he was going to say or even what she expected him to say. She nodded earnestly, biting her lip. He laughed. "Quit jokin', sugar. Not a funny thing to go around sayin'."

"Clyde, I'm serious." Bonnie told him, this time a little louder. "We're going to have a baby." Clyde's face became stern as he processed the information. What could he be thinking? Bonnie tried to imagine what was going through his mind. Was he imagining himself as a father? Or was he mentally staging some kind of accident for her and their baby? She hoped he loved her too much for that second option. But she couldn't tell what he was thinking, and that frightened her.

He put his hand on Bonnie's knee and let out a nervous laugh. Why was he laughing so much? Did he honestly think this situation was funny? He had killed a man, they were on the run, and now they were bringing a baby into the world! "You must be kidding, Bonnie. You can't be having a baby. It's not possible."

"Well of course it's possible, Clyde!" She teased, but knew all too well that this was not a joking matter in any way. Bonnie was trying to get him to take this seriously and yet all the while she couldn't help but laugh a little. Everything was so serious nowadays.

Clyde knew it was _possible_, but it wasn't something that should happen. After all, they weren't upright: they were always on the run, robbing stores and banks, and they never had a specific place in the world. Was that a place to bring child into the world? Of course not. Could he allow this to happen? Well it was too late to turn back now, wasn't it? She was pregnant, he was wanted for murder, and if either of them were caught their baby would be orphaned. A world like that wasn't right for a child. "Sugar, what are we gonna do with a baby?"

"Raisin' it sounds like a good plan." She said quietly. Clyde was completely nonplussed. "Come on, baby, think about it. Out in California they're not lookin' for you. We don't have to be Bonnie and Clyde—we can just be us, no guns and no shenanigans."

How wonderful that really sounded! "We'll need some money to get to California, and money to raise a baby. A few more jobs and we can go away from here, I promise. Sugar…" She guided his hand off of her knee and onto her still flat belly. Clyde couldn't believe that he had felt her abdomen so many times before had another life inside of it now. It amazed him and baffled him. "We can't raise a baby on the road, sugar, but we'll try to get everything together." As much of a dream as that was, Clyde knew that there was no time to remind Bonnie how impractical that was. They'd get to that bridge when they had to cross it. For now his goal was to make Bonnie happy, and find a place for the baby when this little fantasy proved to be untrue. Clyde would do anything he had to do to make Bonnie comfortable.

"Are you happy, baby?" She asked finally.

Clyde shrugged. "We're not quite in a place to settle down yet—" Bonnie seemed disappointed. He wasn't happy, was he? Then he changed his tune. "I know you'll be a good mama, baby." He kissed her again and let his hand trace little circles on her sweater. She giggled gleefully and put her hand on top of his. Their lips met again. "Should we go see your mama?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Some other time, baby, I'm not feeling too well." Clyde nodded and continued to drive. Bonnie wrote a letter to her mother as to why they wouldn't be coming (some story she could write that made the situation sound a little better) before she penned a letter to Buck and Blanche. They'd be interested to hear in everything she and Clyde had been up to.

_Author's Note: Hi! I'm new to Bonnie and Clyde, but this musical is great and I wish it had been on Broadway long enough for me to see it! Even still, the music is great, people who post shows on Youtube are great, and the story of _Bonnie and Clyde_ is impressive to begin with. So I hope you guys like it, or will at least review and tell me what you think! I'll be updating soon I believe._


	2. A Letter to the Family

A Letter to the Family

Clyde parked the car in the woods so that he and Bonnie could call it a night. They had been driving for what seemed like forever and they both just needed a break. Bonnie had spent a great portion of the day writing in her little journal but was curled up to sleep with her head on Clyde's shoulder. He just had his arm around her, holding her close as if she was going to escape. No, she wasn't going to escape; she was too tired. And she loved him too much to leave him. If she was going to leave him she would've run straight to her mother's when they got to West Dallas. But now they had driven away, ways away, and it was time for him to start thinking seriously.

A baby. That was still a lot for him to process. Clyde didn't spend much time with kids; he dealt with money and guns and lawmen. And Bonnie Parker, he spent a great deal of time with his Bonnie. In fact they had a routine of sorts: he'd wake up in the morning with Bonnie at his side, get dressed, do some "work" (if one could truly call it that), the two of them would go through their loot and drive until they found a place to spend the night, he and Bonnie would eat dinner, then it would be going to _bed_ with Bonnie before actually going to _sleep_. That routine was comfortable now that they were both used to it. He didn't know how Bonnie would spend full days when they weren't in the car, but he figured it was similar: she would probably write, or sketch. She was far too free-spirited to do any of those housewife things he would've expected the waitress from Rowena to do. But maybe there was a small portion of docile housewife inside his saucy lover.

Jesus, everything was going to change! They'd have a little kid to watch, so they'd have to have a house… or at least a home base that was reliable. Blanche wouldn't have him and Bonnie staying with her and Buck for too long, and her mama wouldn't approve, and he couldn't put that much pressure on his parents. Besides, the devil's back porch was no place to grow up, live, or raise a child (hence the reason it _was_ the devil's back porch). Someone would always have to be with the baby; chances were that Bonnie would stay at their home while Clyde went to work… would he have to get a real job? He didn't know if he could with his prison record; and he had to do something to take care of Bonnie and the baby. She wouldn't like him continuing to rob places, but what other option did he have? He wasn't going to slave away on a farm like his father, while Bonnie became a tired and rugged woman raising their child on mere pennies. No, he didn't leave West Dallas for that to happen. Bonnie deserved to live a lavish life and he was determined to provide one for her. He dressed her up in the finest things he could afford (or not afford, really, but "get" for her in one way or another) and wanted to make her glad to be his.

Thinking to himself was about to kill him. Clyde saw Bonnie's letter to Buck and Blanche, and figured it wouldn't kill him for her to know what was on her mind when it came to their new situation.

_Dear Buck,_

Clyde laughed because he knew that Blanche would read the letter first since it was in Bonnie's fancy handwriting.

_Wow, everything has changed since the last time Clyde wrote to you. That little grocery store thing was a little more than it was cracked up to be. But we're alright, we're moving on to the next thing._

_But in other news Clyde and I have an announcement. We're expecting a baby, and Clyde says we're moving to California to start an ordinary life together. Isn't that fancy? Of course we have to get some money together, so we'll probably be on the run until the baby comes. Then we'll have enough money to finally settle down someplace._

It sounded like a fantasy, even on paper. Clyde couldn't believe that Bonnie had written about their plan. She didn't say how she felt about the baby or the plan or anything really, but maybe Bonnie would tell him now that he knew that she was pregnant. He felt that if he knew how she felt about being a mother, maybe his feelings about being a father would be shaped. But there was no help in Bonnie's feelings in that letter. Why would she tell Buck anyways? It just didn't make sense.

_I can't wait until the next time Clyde and I can see you. Maybe then you can meet your niece or nephew. No, scratch that, we won't be waiting _that_ long to see you again; until next time, Bonnie._

Bonnie's letter was simple, but it said everything it needed to. Clyde prayed that this time maybe Buck would respond. He and Bonnie would have to meet up with his brother sometime. Maybe even Blanche could be a refreshing treat… nah; she was just his stick-in-the-mud sister in law that didn't like Bonnie very much to begin with. And to think that the only niece or nephew she would ever have would be Clyde's and Bonnie's baby! Blanche would have a fit if she knew that Bonnie was having a baby before she did…

…the letter was mailed promptly to Buck and Blanche…

Buck sat in his armchair reading the letter. Blanche was at work, styling the hair of the women of West Dallas as she seemed to do every single day. Business was really good lately, but Buck lived for the letters from his brother. His wife was working so hard she was almost never home. She was working hard and he was hardly working, but in the letters Clyde (and Bonnie, who wrote on rare occasions) sent he could live vicariously and go on amazing adventures and make himself a millionaire easily.

But this letter wasn't really about money; it was about family.

"Holy!" He shouted as Blanche came through the door. He paid very little attention to her and just stared down at the letter.

She took of her jacket and hung it by the door. "Glad to see you too, daddy." When she saw how intensely Buck was looking at the letter she snatched the letter. "What's this?"

It was all too obvious what the letter was. Buck only read the letters from Bonnie and Clyde. Blanche scanned the letter for anything that could've made Buck smile as big and as bright as he was smiling. Then her finger landed on the word _baby_. She couldn't even speak. Bonnie and Clyde were having a baby? The idea of that made her laugh. The two of them couldn't even take care of themselves without breaking the law. "I'm going to be an uncle!" Buck said proudly, disregarding the prune-sucking face Blanche was making. "Come on, baby, can't you be happy for them? You're going to be an aunt."

"It just ain't right, Buck." Blanche couldn't help but tell him exactly what was on her mind. "He's not a saved man, she's not a moral woman, and they're not married. It just ain't right in the eyes of God, daddy." Blanche was very stuck in her ways, but maybe she was right. Buck couldn't deny that it was wrong for Clyde to get Bonnie pregnant and not marry her. But they were practically married anyways; not in the eyes of the church, but in the eyes of the law.

Blanche was just being picky and Buck knew it. "But ain't you happy for them?"

She shrugged. "A baby's a blessing no matter who they're born to." But that still didn't answer Buck's question, and he was going to nag her about it the way she nagged him about everything else. "I'm not _unhappy_ for them, daddy, I just think it ain't right for them to bring a baby into their fugitivin'." Buck chuckled.

"They're coming to see us soon." Even though this was stated as a fact, it was clearly Buck's way of asking permission to invite his brother and the redheaded woman to stay with them for at least an evening. Blanche didn't want to leave West Dallas unless she had to, and especially not to visit Buck's little brother. It was only fair to invite them to visit, see how Bonnie was doing, make sure Clyde wasn't going to get the two of them killed…

Blanche sat down in Buck's lap and kicked her heels up over the arm of the chair. "Our door's always open." Unfortunately she realized that Bonnie and Clyde could be using her house as headquarters for their criminal career. But even though the criminal lifestyle was not something that pleased Blanche—or the fact that Bonnie and Clyde were having a child out of wedlock—it would be nice to have another lady around, even if that lady was Bonnie. And maybe it would be nice to finally have a baby in that house. Who knew, maybe Buck's love of his niece or nephew would make him want to have kids of his own.

_Author's Note: Okay, so I guess this is a time to state my headcanon about Blanche. Yes, she's a funny prune-sucking stick-in-the-mud realist and the epitome of an uptight Christian woman. I'm still trying to make sense of Blanche calling Buck "daddy" but it's all too obvious she wants a family. Also she sings in_ Now That's What You Call a Dream_ "children playing in the barn, Buck is rocking in his chair". I just imagine that neither of the Barrow boys originally wanted children because of how bad things were with money and their parents. Headcanon over. Please review._


	3. Seeing the Barrows

Seeing the Barrows

A month or so had passed. Bonnie was a little more obviously pregnant, and Clyde honestly wondered how long it would be before they would have a baby in their car. It was still ways away, Bonnie reassured him, but he was really worrying about what was going to happen. He didn't know much about kids. Did he want kids? He still didn't even know that. But Bonnie seemed to be warming up to the idea of a baby. She wasn't as scared as he was.

"Do you think it's safe for us to head back to West Dallas so soon?" Bonnie asked. Clyde's eyes were firmly planted on the road. They had been driving for two days and that was a little longer than she enjoyed being on the road. Bonnie realized she couldn't complain about the time on the road considering all she did was sit beside Clyde and chat with him. Clyde Barrow usually had so much to say, such a confident smile, and was more than ready to press his lips to her. Now he didn't touch her; she wondered if that was for the fear of hurting her or if he was angry at her.

He smirked, eyebrows rising very briefly. "We're just goin' to see Buck for a few days, no one'll even notice." Bonnie knew that wasn't true. Everyone would notice that car being parked in front of Buck's. What was he going to do, park in the woods? Last time they parked in the woods… well, that was what probably started this whole mess. "'Sides, maybe Blanche'll take you to the beauty parlor, style up your hair, sugar."

"Clyde, I don't need to change up my style." Bonnie stated adamantly. She knew that Clyde was only trying to be sweet. He wanted her to be pampered, she figured, or maybe he wanted some time just with Buck. If he wanted that she could probably go visit his parents; they'd be glad to see her. Clyde probably would also suggest that she visit her mother. No, she couldn't visit her mother. Her mother wouldn't have her in her house; she'd call the cops on her own child. Or she'd try to set her up with another man if she came home alone…

"I just thought you'd want some time with a lady—even if that lady's just Blanche." Clyde didn't exactly see what Buck saw in Blanche. Or what anyone saw in Blanche. She was a pill to be around and she had something to say about everything and everyone. Yet she was so damn Christian that they weren't judgments because it was wrong to judge, and she pretended to be better than everyone else. Blanche called people as she saw them; for example, the first time she met Bonnie she called her a tart. That was the first and only encounter Bonnie had had with Blanche, and if she wasn't always at Buck's side that once would've been enough. But Buck was good and kind to Bonnie and he too had only met her once. She had seen him in prison too when she came to visit Clyde but that wasn't the same. They didn't speak then. "Or we can make a pit stop and swing by to see my folks first; if you wanted to." Bonnie nodded. "You're okay with that, sugar? I'll drop you off then, I'll go let Buck know we're on our way and park the car." Bonnie looked to see if he was happy, but he showed no emotion. It seemed like today he just wanted to be the chauffeur, pretend she was a famous woman that needed to be driven around. Maybe he needed to be a chauffeur for a day. She hoped that soon the Clyde she knew would reappear, and that maybe seeing the other Barrows would help him remember who the two of them were.

…Bonnie knocks on the front door of Mr. and Mrs. Barrow's house…

Mrs. Barrow opened the door. "Bonnie?" It was clear she wasn't quite sure. She had never seen the girl without Clyde, and she had only seen her a few times before. West Dallas wasn't a big place, and she had seen her out and about with her mother. Bonnie wore just a loose fitting dress—looser than she had worn since she was probably very young, one that Clyde had gotten for her in his last raid (he wouldn't let her go in, of course, but he made her keep the car running outside the store)—and her hair was not neatly brushed. She did not look like the put-together young lady she wished to be, and unfortunately Mrs. Barrow recognized that. "Where's Clyde? He came with you, didn't he?"

"Yes ma'am, he went to go park the car out in the woods. He didn't want anyone to know we were here." Bonnie smiled at the kind old woman. Mrs. Barrow hugged the girl before inviting her inside. "You know he really wants you two to be well off, and he doesn't want to cause you two any pain." Mrs. Barrow nodded. Bonnie didn't know what else she could say to the woman. Thankfully Clyde's mother was a better hostess than Bonnie was a guest.

"Well I'm glad you two came… why don't you come and sit down; I'll get you a drink or something. You must be exhausted after riding in that car all day." She nodded. Bonnie usually wasn't tired after being in the car: she wasn't the driver, she really didn't do much on those car rides except worry and make sure there weren't any cops following them. Bonnie took a seat at the kitchen table and Mrs. Barrow sat down beside her. "My husband should be in shortly, he was just boarding up one of the windows. Some kids've been throwin' rocks I reckon. The window from Clyde's bedroom was busted out yesterday."

Bonnie's eyes widened. Clyde would want to hear about that, and he'd probably give them some cash to pay for damages. He would do anything for his mother, Bonnie knew that, just like she would've done anything to please hers. But Mrs. Parker had given up on her daughter when she was fifteen years old and decided to marry a man she hardly knew in hopes of getting out of Texas. Well she got out of Texas alright, but not with her husband.

Thankfully Mrs. Barrow continued to speak in Bonnie's silence. "Will you and Clyde be stayin' for dinner or are you just passin' through?"

Bonnie shook her head. "No, I think we're staying for dinner. I know we're staying at least until nightfall so we can head over to Buck's—unless you wanted Clyde to stay…" Mrs. Barrow put her hand on top of Bonnie's on the table. Bonnie grinned. That woman was wonderful to her. She treated her almost like a daughter of hers and Bonnie was quite fond of that. She wasn't like Mrs. Parker… Bonnie was glad to have a second mother who was nothing like her actual one. Maybe one of them would be happy for Bonnie and Clyde.

"Our home is your home, Bonnie, and you and Clyde are always welcome here."

Bonnie knew she had to tell Clyde's parents, and there was no better time to do that. Maybe Mrs. Barrow would be happy. Maybe Mrs. Barrow had already noticed and that's why she was being so kind to Bonnie. Did she like Bonnie? She didn't know really. Bonnie hardly knew the woman, she just felt so… comfortable with her. "Mrs. Barrow, ma'am, Clyde and I came here to tell you something." Mrs. Barrow looked at her with sad eyes, clearly expecting the worst. What did she really expect, Bonnie wondered. Did she think Clyde killed another man? Did she think Clyde was turning himself in and was going to be executed? She looked ready to cry. Hopefully that wasn't because she knew what Bonnie was going to say. "Clyde and I—well, I suppose _he_ probably wanted to tell you—but I'll tell you anyways. Me and Clyde… I'm going to have a baby."

That was when the real surprise kicked in. Mrs. Barrow looked almost happy, but it wasn't quite good. She appeared to be happy and sad at the same time, and at the extreme of both spectrums. Mrs. Barrow was a mother herself, and that made her this child's grandmother. She seemed happy about that. Yet she also knew about the difficulties of being a mother—Bonnie saw that clearly that kind of stress had shaped her—and that Bonnie and Clyde always being on the road couldn't be good.

"How far along are you?" Mrs. Barrow finally asked. Bonnie shrugged. "Stand up for me, darlin', let me take a look at you." No, Mrs. Barrow wasn't disappointed as Bonnie had feared. Bonnie stood up and turned around for Mrs. Barrow to look at her. Where was Clyde? It usually didn't take him that long to park and run home. Did he get caught by one of the police officers in West Dallas? They all knew his name, it wouldn't have surprised her… she couldn't think about that. She had to focus on one thing at a time, and right now it was small talk with Mrs. Barrow that had to be on her mind. "That dress is nice on you, Bonnie, it fits you quite well. And it should last a little while longer…"

Bonnie's eyebrows knitted together. "Well, Mrs. Barrow, do you know when your grandchild will be coming into the world?"

Mrs. Barrow smiled and nodded, the wrinkles around her eyes becoming more defined as she squinted. "Oh, not to worry, you have a few months. Five or less, so probably by the next time I see you two I'll be expecting to see my grandbaby." Bonnie didn't know if that made her happy or sad. The less time they had to wait until the baby came, the sooner she could get back to being a useful person on their jobs. The shorter it was until their baby came the sooner everything had to be ready. It was enough time, but it was also not too much. She wasn't sure how Clyde was going to take that… Clyde walked into the house and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. "Congrats, son, you're one lucky man." Mrs. Barrow held him at a comfortable distance before gesturing for Bonnie to join them. "My first grandbaby." The smile on Mrs. Barrow's face reassured Clyde that she approved of Bonnie and that she wanted to meet her granddaughter or grandson. Clyde put his arm around his mother and Bonnie looked up at him happily. Maybe everything was going to be okay.

…dinner time, and Bonnie is in the kitchen with Mrs. Barrow…

Shoot, they bonded quickly. Those two women got along a lot better than Clyde could've ever hoped for. Mrs. Barrow didn't even like Blanche as much as she liked Bonnie. Wait until Buck heard that! Mama Barrow loved "little miss murderess" more than "good Christian wife" Blanche. He'd get a kick out of that, but Blanche would not.

"Son, you gonna marry her?" His father asked, sitting at the kitchen table across from his son. Clyde didn't know why he sat there so awkwardly and nervously but he just didn't feel comfortable. Maybe it was that he wanted to know what his mother and Bonnie were talking about, or that he figured their conversation was going much better than the one with his old man. "You love her, I see it in your eyes." That was too sentimental. Clyde didn't want to hear his father telling him about love and eyes and… no, that wasn't a conversation for the two of them to have.

Clyde shrugged. "I'd love to marry her, if I could." He admitted under his breath. "But we can't get married, pa. We've got to keep going."

Mr. Barrow scoffed. "And you expect that baby to grow up on the road? I can see it: some little Parker child—"

"Barrow, pa." Clyde interrupted. The only thing he was really adamant about in that wishy-washy conversation was that Bonnie's baby would have his last name. But was that an unreasonable request? He hoped Bonnie wouldn't think so. He wanted them to really be Barrows, not just "the Barrow gang". Bonnie, Clyde, and baby Barrow: that was a great plan. And California… if they could make it to California they would be set.

Before the conversation could go any longer, Bonnie and Mrs. Barrow came in with plates of chicken and corn and green beans. It was a humble meal but it was certainly going to delicious. Seeing Bonnie with his mother Clyde came to a shocking realization: maybe Bonnie was a little more domestic than the wild woman Clyde thought she was.

_Author's Note: Okay, thank you to those who have reviewed! This chapter was originally not split in _half_ so the next chapter was a part of this, but it got too long. So the next chapter should be up soon: Blanche, Buck, Clyde and Bonnie! Woo, please review!_


	4. You Can't Choose Family

You Can't Choose Family

Buck sat Bonnie on one arm of his chair and Clyde sat on the other, keeping the chair balanced. Oh, he was glad to have them there! Bonnie was telling stories of their adventures on the road and Clyde was pretending to drive the "getaway car" from her stories. Damn, she was a good actress; no wonder she wanted to go to California. She had an air about her that made you believe every word she said.

Blanche was not pleased to come home from work and find Clyde and that tart on her husband's chair. No, that was where she usually sat, and the other woman could get up and find somewhere else to be. But Blanche tried to be the good Christian girl she was and put on a smile. "Well well, I thought you two decided not to visit us this time through."

"They came this morning after you left." Buck reported to her. "They were at ma and pa's last night; didn't want to get caught on their way over here." Blanche rolled her eyes but made sure she was turned away from the three before she did so. "Bonnie's tellin' me about their last job, wanna hear the story? It's a really good one, Blanche…"

Blanche's eyebrows went up and knitted together in a mix of confusion and anger. "No, I don't wanna hear the latest story. 'Sides, should Bonnie be doin' stuff like that anymore?"

Clyde shrugged and walked towards his sister in law in a less than friendly manner. "Can't do everythin' on my own, Blanche." He was far too confident in his answer to read into Blanche's distaste. "What do you think she's been doin' since we got out of West Dallas? She comes with me to everythin'." Bonnie smiled but nothing was making Blanche's frown fade away.

"And what're you gonna do when the baby comes?" She asked, her voice sharp as a tack. Buck started to say something—maybe get his wife to change the subject—but Clyde came up with a response pretty quickly.

His quip was less than clever. "It don't even matter."

Blanche was furious at the fact that he was still taking Bonnie on all his jobs (and also that the only answer Clyde had was _it don't even matter_). She might not have liked the 'ravishing redhead' as much as the Barrow boys (let's face it, that shade of red must've come from a bottle) but she did care about the safety of her and her unborn niece or nephew. "Give up the cops and robbers game, you're too old for that! If you want to settle down somewhere go ahead and do it. You need to quit behaving like a little boy and start acting like a father!" Blanche fussed.

"Well what if I don't want to be a father?" Clyde asked, seeing the disdain in Blanche's face. Bonnie just looked puzzled, sitting on the arm of Buck's chair. Usually that was where Blanche sat, but she was standing across from Clyde with her arms folded angrily.

Blanche glared at him. Bonnie couldn't believe what her ears were hearing. "You should've thought about that before you made some woman a mother!"

Clyde started towards Blanche. Before he could reach his sister in law Bonnie had jumped off of the arm of the chair to stand between her lover and the woman who hated her. It was odd to be defending Blanche but it had to be done. Clyde's look softened. Bonnie spoke quietly to him. "You don't want the baby?" He could see the tears welled in her eyes. His expression remained stony.

Bonnie turned away, blinking back tears and started back to the armchair by Buck. A hand stopped her before she got to the other Barrow boy. Blanche pulled Bonnie into a hug and patted her back sympathetically. It almost came as second nature, comforting this frightened girl (who, despite looks, was actually older than her) when she needed to be comforted. That was how she was always brought up in the church: reach out to people and comfort them in times of need. But maybe this was more than Blanche just trying to be a good Christian woman. Was it possible that she actually cared about Bonnie Parker?

Blanche couldn't think about her own sentimentality. "Come on, Bonnie, come with me?" It wasn't Bonnie's dream—helping her would-be sister in law with whatever it was she needed—but it would have to do. If she spent too much longer in there with Clyde she was likely to start crying. He didn't want their baby, and that meant he didn't want her. She had given everything to someone who didn't care about her.

…Blanche and Bonnie peel potatoes…

"Don't think too much of it, honey, sometimes men are stupid and don't know what they're sayin'." Blanche tried to calm her down and maybe get her to say a few words. But Bonnie's lips were tight sealed and her eyes were just wells: tears filling the sky blue eyes. "You know, with some new color in your hairs an' a new dress you could probably stay in West Dallas till the baby comes…"

Bonnie shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving Clyde." _Even though Clyde doesn't want me around, or the baby…_ "I can't leave him. I can't lose him." Bonnie remembered how she felt when her husband went to prison. She was just a scared little girl then, and her skin was certainly thicker after that experience. She wasn't going to walk out on someone and she wasn't going to be walked out on. Clyde wouldn't leave her… would he?

Blanche saw that Bonnie was nearly in hysterics after a few short words. "It was just an idea, Bonnie, I—I'm trying to help you if I can."

It was more difficult of a task that Blanche realized she had bargained for. See, she had always imagined how supportive Buck would've been when the time was right and they had their first baby (not like they weren't trying). Buck seemed to like kids: and she was always quick to help at the nursery at the church. Blanche knew that her parents would be so happy when the time came and their little girl had a son or daughter of her own, and the Barrows would be happy to have a grandchild. In her dreams—long before Bonnie was someone she knew—she imagined that Clyde would actually settle down with a relatively quiet girl that she would get along with and maybe be helpful when Blanche needed childcare or help with the baby. Now Blanche's dream was being lived by a girl that didn't want it… poor misguided trash…

"If you need anything, please let me know." Blanche went back to her potato peeling.

Bonnie threw the potato into a small metal pot on the floor, allowing the water to splash up and onto the floorboards. "Is that the 'good Christian woman' in you trying to help the 'less fortunate', or do you mean a word you say?" _Ouch_, thought Blanche, feeling that verbal knife go straight into her heart.

"Whether I like it or not, we're family now." Blanche admitted. Chances were Bonnie's baby was going to be her first and final niece or nephew, so she didn't want to tick off Bonnie already. She wanted to know the little boy or girl, let her stay over with _Auntie Blanche_ and _Uncle Buck_ (or maybe he or she would have precious nicknames for Blanche and Buck) and play in the barn. Gosh, no one really used that barn the way she imagined it would be used…Blanche had so many dreams and yet they all seemed so distant now. "Anything I _can_ do for you Bonnie?"

Bonnie winced at the words that were about to escape her lips. Blanche didn't understand why the redhead looked to suddenly be in so much pain, but it didn't make her feel comfortable. Her first instinct was to get Buck—Buck would take her to the doctor or something if anything was wrong, Clyde probably would've too but she didn't want to deal with him. Before the brunette could leave the room the pregnant redhead spoke. "Promise me that if anything happens to me, you and Buck'll take the baby." Her plea was quiet but it was now out in the open. Blanche could almost hear Bonnie's heart breaking with every word.

Blanche patted Bonnie's arm in a state of shock and amazement. Did Bonnie just really ask Blanche and Buck to take her and Clyde's baby and raise him or her? "Shh, shh, don't talk like that." Blanche pulled Bonnie close to her for the hug that she believed the redhead needed. "No need to be talkin' crazy. You're going to be fine. And your baby is going to be _so_ lucky to have you as its mama." Bonnie tried to pull out of the hug before she broke into the sobs that she so desperately needed. The last thing she needed was to have to clean herself up before Clyde and Buck came in for dinner.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Bonnie asked, skeptical of the dark haired woman's words. "Family or not, you've made it clear you don't like me."

Blanche shrugged and picked up the pot of potatoes and carried it over to the counter. Was she just ignoring Bonnie's question? Once she turned around, her answer was very simple and yet poignant. "Well, honey, you can't choose family."

… After dinner, Bonnie goes into the back bedroom and Buck and Blanche are alone…

"Where'd your brother disappear to?" Blanche asked. She looked into each of the little rooms and listened around to hear if Bonnie was actually eavesdropping or if Clyde was in the building.

Buck laughed a little. "Now all of the sudden you want Clyde in your house?"

"I'm serious, daddy, he's got a serious problem on his hands." Blanche whispered into his ear. "Bonnie thinks he doesn't want the baby."

Buck shrugged and walked to his chair. God, he was always in that chair! Blanche did rest in his lap. "Well he _did_ say that he didn't want to be a father." Wasn't that an obvious answer?

Blanche hit his arm gingerly but with enough authority that he wasn't laughing. "She wants us to raise the baby. She's so sure that Clyde'll hate the baby and that he'd leave her if she kept the baby."

"She told you all that? Since when are you two so close?" Buck asked, almost joking. He pulled Blanche closer to him and kissed her, hoping that she wouldn't hit him again.

She straightened herself up. "She didn't say it exactly, but I knew what she meant." Buck laughed at that foolish intuition Blanche believed she had (but he wasn't stupid enough to argue with her on it). He could tell by her straight face that she wasn't in a joking mood. "Daddy, you need to talk sense into your brother. Bonnie's not gonna leave him, but if he keeps it up he's gonna lose her."

"I thought ya didn't like her." Buck commented, smirking at his wife.

She returned the smirk but a little more demurely. "She's family now, daddy, and we can't choose family." And that was the end of the discussion. Buck knew that he had to talk to Clyde. If Blanche had finally warmed up to this girl, Clyde couldn't lose her. Blanche hadn't even warmed up to Clyde yet!

_Author's Note: Okay, so that's the end of this chapter! I hope you guys are liking _An Ordinary Life_ and that you guys are reviewing! This will probably be the last chapter for a little while that takes place in West Dallas (I'm trying to get back into the crime, with less focus on the family aspect) but chances are Buck and Blanche aren't too far away! And I realize that through the show Bonnie and Blanche never really learned to get along, but I think if things had been a little different (like if Bonnie did have a baby) they would've gotten along quite well. Anyways, please review!_


	5. Back On the Job

Back On the Job

Leaving West Dallas was much needed. Clyde had been there just long enough to see his folks, and Bonnie had been there enough to see his parents and Buck as well (and Blanche too, but that wasn't as pleasant of an interaction). It was the middle of the night and they were driving out of town as quickly as they could. "Onto the next." Bonnie supposed, muttering that under her breath. Clyde just drove and sat in silence.

They had it all mapped out. It was another grocery store holdup, this time in Utah. They were heading out to Utah before, but they didn't make it there. Maybe Utah would be nice. Maybe Clyde would want to settle down in Utah… no, Bonnie was fooling herself if she believed that. Clyde didn't want to settle down anywhere. This lifestyle was always his dream. Was it possible they could both live their dreams and be together?

She was thinking too much. It was late and all that thought wasn't good for her; it was just going to make her worry about whether or not she was doing the right thing. She should probably rest on their way to Utah… yeah, a nap would do her some good…

…Clyde is left alone to his thought…

What had he done?

The way that his brother, sister in law, and parents had looked at her was going to drive him wild. He couldn't get those glares out of his mind. They looked at him like he was a murderer (okay, well, he was but that wasn't the point) and he didn't think that his family should view him that way. He hadn't really done anything wrong, after all. He still had Bonnie with him, and he was making an effort to treat her right and help her now that he got her pregnant.

Jesus, why did he say what he said? Blanche already didn't like him, but he made it worse by saying he didn't want to be a father. He wasn't ready to be a father: that was for sure. He was still a young man and he was trying to figure things out. Bonnie didn't even have everything figured out! She was a married woman, and what if she decided to go back to that husband of hers? He didn't know if he could handle that. He and her former husband had one thing in common: they both didn't want to be a husband. But Clyde loved Bonnie…

That wasn't the point. He was finally in Utah. They'd be able to make some quick cash before moving on to somewhere bigger and better. Maybe they'd make it to California like Bonnie wanted. She was asleep with her head on his shoulder and his hands folded on top of her stomach. "Bonnie, baby." He put his hand on her leg and startled her awake. Her head rose off his shoulder and he spoke to her in a patronizing voice. "Sugar, you wanna get some breakfast? We got a big job to do."

She shifted her head from side to side, easing a crick in her neck. "Breakfast sounds fine, baby." He pulled up to a little diner near the store and pulled some money from his suit jacket pocket. He handed a little cash to Bonnie and a little for himself. She didn't ask any questions when he first handed her the money: she just took the cash and put it into her brassiere. "Why'd you give me the money?"

"In case things go wrong at the job today." He clarified morbidly. "If it looks like things are going wrong, you get outta there and wait in the car. Got me?" She nodded. That was not the discussion that she hoped they would have. "Maybe you should wait in the car anyways, sugar, just keep it runnin'…"

"No." Bonnie was defiant on that. "I'm going in and I'm going to do this, Clyde." She threw on her coat that had been in the back seat. "Forget breakfast, we're going in and doing this now." Adamantly she got out of the car and walked away from the diner where he had parked. "Well, aren't you coming?"

_Well shoot, _thought Clyde as he got out of the car and put his gun in his pocket. No breakfast could've prepared him for that. He had to practically chase her across the street to the doors of the grocery store.

The two stood there, guns concealed (hers in her garter and his in his coat). Bonnie held the bag in the crook of her arm. Her trench coat pulled across her belly. Before she started in, Clyde grabbed her by her arm. "Are you sure you can do this?"

Her eyes were ablaze and her lips curled into a flirtatious smirk. "I'm pregnant, not handicapped, Clyde. Now let's get in there and get what we came for."

The grocery store was relatively busy for how early it was. Clyde took control quickly and just let Bonnie handle the bag (which was what she should've expected to do considering this was her first hold-up she really participated in, the rest she really just kept the car running) and the money once they got it. She wondered why he trusted her with such a task: it was least violent, sure, but wasn't the money the most important part? Did he trust her that much truly? Or did he think that people would take pity on a pregnant woman? Either way she felt flattered to have had such a big job.

"Sugar, give the cashier our bag to fill up." Clyde ushered her towards the counter using his gun.

The grocery store clerk looked at her with pity as she threw the bag up on the counter. He whispered to Bonnie, trying to make sure Clyde wouldn't hear his warning. "Look, lady, ya don't gotta let that man tell ya what to do. Ya should get outta here, before someone shoots…"

Bonnie's lips curled into a smirk as she reached up her skirt for the gun tucked in her garter. She pointed it at the cashier then at the bag. "I think I can handle myself, sir." The wide eyed cashier looked from her face to her stomach and she slammed the gun on the counter to get his attention. "Cash please, we don't have all day." He took the money from the safe under the counter and put it into the bag. She smiled at him, put the gun in the bag, met up with Clyde on the way to the door, and they started out arm-in-arm.

"I'll call the cops!" The clerk threatened, but the threat didn't seem to be aimed at Clyde. Bonnie turned around to see the man looking straight at her.

She just laughed lightly and coyly. "And tell them what? A pregnant lady robbed your store?" Her laughing continued even once she and Clyde were out of the store. He ran to the car and drove up to get her from in front of the grocery store. In all honesty, she probably could've run as well, but he thought that he could start the car and they could drive off much quicker.

Now Bonnie knew why Clyde liked those holdups so much. It was exhilarating! It was like acting in an extreme situation, it didn't even feel real! She was a woman playing the part of a gangster, and Clyde seemed thrilled to see how big her smile was. Bonnie started to count the cash. "Clyde, there's nearly a hundred dollars in here!" She cheered as he drove out of the town. He wrapped his arm around her as the speed of the car crept up over forty five and he kissed her forehead.

"You did good, sugar." Clyde said and she knew he meant it. She could see it in his smile. "And just think: we ain't even had breakfast yet! Wanna go for another?" Bonnie shrugged. He laughed at her false eagerness. "Maybe not this time, Bonnie. We should get some food, find a place to spend the night, plan our next job…" Bonnie and Clyde just smiled at one another. He swore in that moment that was probably the happiest he had seen her since the first night they were in the woods together. "You happy, sugar?"

Bonnie nodded. She finally felt like she had done something that was useful for Clyde. She wasn't just dead weight to him. Clyde didn't seem too disappointed with her work, and she figured that she could only get better at these holdups the more he let her work on. But the one grocery store in Utah was in the past, left behind in a dust storm, and the next time they'd hear about it would be in the next day's newspaper. Once again, it was on to the next.

_Author's note: okay, I'd like to say that this is my first time ever writing crime, and I apologize in advance for that. Any tips? I'm open for anything. Also, please review! Quick question for the dozen or so of you reading this story—should the Barrow baby be a boy or a girl? Let me know what you think! I should be updating shortly!_


	6. A Compromise

A Compromise

That night, Bonnie found a letter her mama must've tucked into her bag before she left home. She hadn't opened it—she didn't really know what her mother had to say, she was finally leaving home "with a friend". Once Clyde was asleep in the bed, Bonnie went into the bathroom and opened the letter.

_My dearest Bonnie,_

_It's exactly what you wanted, baby, you're leaving the devil's back porch. You're a little younger than I had hoped you'd be when you left my house, but Roy's a good man and I'm sure you two will be fine when you make it out to California._

Jesus, that letter was old! It had been, what, ten years since she married Roy? Now she didn't even know where Roy was. She was certain he had found a woman probably in West Dallas or a neighboring town. Hopefully Roy was happy; Bonnie was very happy now. She rested one hand on her stomach and the other on the letter.

_Make sure you don't forget about me when you're famous, baby. I hope you'll still come back to visit me… of course, you'll probably be riding in a fancy limousine or a nice car and you shouldn't park it in front of the house, don't want a car thief to steal it._

How ironic: her mother was concerned about a car thief stealing her car when a car thief stole her heart.

_Come back and visit me. You and Roy could always spend Christmases with me. We've got plenty of space around here. And when you and Roy can settle down for real—you know, when your career as an actress has a lull or something—and start your family together, I'd love to have my grandbabies in the house. Now Bonnie, I know that sounds pushy but I know you're just a girl and I am not rushing you. Baby, you're going to be a star. _

_Your loving Mama_

That letter had been in her bag a lot longer than she had figured. Her mama put that in her bag before she went on her honeymoon. Her mama was so supportive of her getting married even though it was clearly breaking her heart. Bonnie didn't realize how much her mama cared about her happiness. And her want for grandchildren! Maybe Bonnie's mother wouldn't be as upset as Bonnie figured she would be about her having a baby…

Christmas. She and Clyde had to go and see her mama at Christmas.

Would Clyde want to go? Of course not. They just went for her mama's birthday and they skipped the house. That probably would've been the best time to see her: Bonnie wasn't too visibly pregnant then. It was now obvious she was with child and her mama would be furious!

It was a week until Christmas. Would Clyde be willing to go back to West Dallas to visit Mrs. Parker?

They hadn't even been out of West Dallas a month, not even two weeks! They had gone just to drop off some money and see Buck and Blanche, and he wouldn't want to go back to West Dallas for any reason. And a conversation with her mama would land both her and Clyde in prison, or Clyde dead and her being forced to wear her grandmother's brooch and go on forced dates with Ted Hinton. She didn't know which part was worse: going out to dinner with Ted (who was a sweet boy, but not her type considering he was more of a close friend than a lover of any sort) or wearing the dreaded brooch a woman in her seventies wore while Bonnie herself was in her early twenties. Whenever Bonnie thought about how her mama would react to something she thought about that one date with Ted: he was a total gentleman who tried to make her feel special but he didn't make her feel like she was the only girl in the world. Clyde made her feel like the only girl in the world. She was something special to Clyde… maybe her mama would still respect her happiness the way she tried to with Roy. Maybe. All Bonnie could really do was hope and wait.

…the next morning, when Clyde wakes up…

Clyde rolled over and smiled at her before he even opened his eyes. "Mornin', sugar, we got a busy day ahead of us." He saw just the quilt pulled up over the pillows. Maybe she had wriggled under the quilt. He decided to keep talking. "We can go in later for the job, baby, and spend a little longer in bed." Bonnie didn't even turn over or look at him. The covers didn't even shift. "Sugar?" He pulled back the blanket. She wasn't there. "Bonnie, Bonnie babe…" But Bonnie wasn't in the room. "Damn it!" Clyde knew she had been angry at him for what he had said to Blanche (which he regretted saying, but wasn't certain his feelings had changed on the matter) but why would she wait until they were in Utah to run out on him? Was it to hurt his feelings more? Or did she really have a friend named Charlene, and maybe she was in Utah… no no, that was Ohio, he remembered that story. He scrambled out of the bed and toward the door. "Bonnie! Bonnie!" He saw on his way out that the bathroom door was cracked.

There Bonnie was: on the wood floor of the bathroom with a note in one hand and her other hand tightly clutched to her stomach. Was she alright? Suddenly every alarm in Clyde's mind was ringing. Was it the baby? God, no, it couldn't be the baby! His mama said it would be a few more months, and there was no way they were ready to be parents yet! He shook her by her shoulders and she woke up uneasily.

Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her mussed red hair. "Bonnie, thank God!" He nearly felt like crying. How odd was it: the big tough gangster nearly brought to tears by finding his lover when he thought she walked out? He could tell by the little groggy sounds she was making that she was confused by his actions. "Don't scare me like that, sugar… I'm just glad you're still here."

"Still here?" Bonnie repeated tiredly. She was so unsure of the exact meaning of his statement.

"Still here, sugar, I'm glad you didn't leave me." He hugged her close again, swearing to himself that he felt a flutter under her negligee. Of course, the baby! A hand went from around her back and onto her belly. "I changed my mind, Bonnie, I dunno what I was thinkin'. Your baby—our baby—is a beautiful thing, and I—shoot, I can't make an excuse for what I said!"

That's what he was so afraid about? That she would leave him after he said a few things he didn't mean? Why, people said things they didn't mean all the time! She just smiled and put her hand on her belly as well. "It's okay, baby." She tried to reassure him.

It didn't really work. "No, I'll have to make it up to you."

That was her window of opportunity. "Funny you should say that, honey, I _do _have a favor to ask of you." He looked like he was ready to hear it, but also like he was expecting the worst. "Christmas is comin' up, Clyde, and I think we should spend it with mama."

"Mama?" He parroted her exact statement. Then he thought through what he was saying. "Whoa, your mama or my mama?" She bit her lip. "_Your_ mama? Sugar, I don't think we—" The disappointment was building, he could feel it. "—I mean, shouldn't we—sugar, do you think she'll want me in her house again? She threw a party when I landed in prison…" Well, technically it wasn't a party, Clyde realized, but it still didn't make him feel good. But Bonnie wanted to visit her mama, and she hadn't wanted to do that since he busted out of prison… "Alright, sugar, but we're makin' a whole trip out of it. We'll see your mama a little, my mama a little, and we'll stay with Buck." All that anger that she saw melted away with another little flutter. His hand flew off her stomach and his eyes grew wide. "Seems like the baby likes that idea too." His classic smile returned.

Bonnie couldn't help but grin back. "And I'll go and have Blanche do my hair nicely, and give her a sizeable tip. Y'know she won't let Buck just take the money."

How sweet it was, having this little Christmas plan. Clyde didn't want to admit it, but he was glad to be going home for a few days. Maybe the two of them could spend a few days living domestically. Those few days in West Dallas would serve as a trial for an ordinary life as man, wife, and baby.

_Author's Note: hi again guys! Wow, I'm glad you guys like my story thus far! We'll be heading back to West Dallas next chapter for more of what would've been the rest of this chapter. I realize that this part is pretty fluffy, yes, but I plan on getting more into crime… after fictional Christmas. I got it all mapped out (well mostly, I got this far and I've got the last few chapters mostly planned). Please review!_


	7. Porches

_Author's Note: I am so sorry for the delay! Crazy technical difficulties (the chapter posted but in code, then it posted but didn't load, then it loaded but didn't post) but please read on anyways!_

Porches

Blanche was busying herself all night. Buck had gotten them a tree and she was decorating it, but she was also cleaning. Buck was eating his dinner and she was back to decorating. "Baby, what're you doin'?" He called from the kitchen.

She came in with a bowl of dirty dish water. "I'm just in the holiday mood, daddy." She kissed him on the cheek before dumping the water out the window.

"No, you're not usually this excited." Blanche wasn't much of a Christmas celebration person. She loved Christmas and respected it as a good Christian holiday but she believed Easter was more important. "What's got you all giddy?"

Blanche fixed herself a small sandwich and sat at the table with him. "Bonnie's comin' for Christmas. Clyde too. They wrote you a letter, I just read it and burnt it like you do."

Buck couldn't help but laugh. "You're decoratin' because my brother and that, I quote, 'poor misguided trash' are comin' to stay with us for the holidays?" It was a bizarre twist. Blanche didn't like Clyde, she never had. But suddenly she loved Bonnie. The first time they met it didn't start too well, but first impressions weren't a good basis he supposed.

"I just think it should be special; that's all." Blanche said with false subtlety. "Think about it, daddy, this is their last Christmas without a baby. Next year Christmas will be all about him or her. Shouldn't it be somethin' special?"He reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

"How did I end up so lucky that you're my wife?" She smiled at him with all the glowing glee she could've had.

...meanwhile Bonnie stands on her mother's front porch...

She turned around like she was going to walk away before she even knocked. "You know what, baby, this is a bad idea." He held an arm up to stop her. She walked straight into his arm and attempted to take him with her back off the porch. "She'll notice and we won't be here for just one night. What if she calls the cops, baby? You'll be dead and I'll be in jail and…" He just kissed her until she calmed down.

"You're just worried, Bonnie, you're going to be okay." He waited for her to get back to the door. "Just knock. She might not even be home."

Mrs. Parker was home. Bonnie knew her mother was at home. It was two days before Christmas and Bonnie and her mother always baked cookies together right before Christmas. Did Mrs. Parker bake alone now that Bonnie wasn't there? Bonnie figured she had to. Maybe Bonnie and her baby would find time to make little cooking traditions like that…

Her knocking was filled with dread, but the door opened immediately. Clyde hid behind a post beside the porch. Mrs. Parker quickly opened the door and saw her daughter standing there in a heavy trench coat that was probably two or three sizes too big (Bonnie wanted it to be far too big so that there wasn't a chance of her mother noticing while they were outside the home). "Bonnie!" She tried to pull her in for a hug but Bonnie kept her at a comfortable distance. "Bonnie, what's the matter baby?"

She couldn't even find the right words. What wasn't the matter? She wanted to hug her mama but she didn't want her mama to know how much she missed her. She didn't want her to know everything: the crime sprees, the constant road tripping, and especially the baby. "Mama, nothin's wrong." Bonnie lied through her teeth. It didn't feel right to lie to her mother, but telling the truth would probably have fearful outcomes. "I saw your letter in my bag… you wanted me to come back for Christmas."

"That was nine years ago, Bonnie." Mrs. Parker said with a laugh, putting an arm around her daughter. Bonnie hugged her at an awkwardly slanted angle. "But I'm glad you're here anyways, baby. Do you have your bag? Your room's still set up. I knew you'd be comin' home…"

Clyde made his way up on the porch. "Bonnie and I just wanted to see you, Mrs. Parker." Bonnie couldn't have been happier for Clyde to make his appearance then. She didn't want to tell her mama. She wanted to see her mama but for her not to ask any questions about the baby or about whether or not Bonnie was home for good. "She missed you a lot, and wanted to come and see you. We brought you some money too…" He reached into his pocket and handed her forty bucks. She had it in her hands but she still held it at a distance. Clyde wrapped his arm around Bonnie's neck. "It's the holiday season, and she wanted to spend some time with you…actually, we both did." Mrs. Parker rolled her eyes.

"I wish you would stay, Bonnie." Mrs. Parker said. All the sadness from trying to make her daughter happy was coming up.

Bonnie couldn't look at Mrs. Parker or at Clyde. She just stared down at the floorboards. Her mama had cleaned them: she had swept away the dust before Bonnie got there. She knew Bonnie was coming home. "We'll write to you, mama, and we'll meet you 'round Easter. Mama, we'll find a way." Mrs. Parker tried to hug her daughter again but she was already trying to lead Clyde away. "Goodbye mama." As Bonnie and Clyde left the house, both Parker women were crying: they had said goodbye to each other and both were unsure if they'd ever see the other again.

…Bonnie and Clyde are on another porch, but it's not her mother's…

"Bonnie, just knock. You know how it goes." Three slow knocks followed by three quick: that was exactly how he taught her and exactly how she executed it. With her free hand she wiped away the tears that were still dripping down her cheeks. Thank God it was dark, she didn't want Clyde to know how much she was crying. Blanche would have a hissy fit if she saw Bonnie in tears; naturally she would blame Clyde, she'd yell at Clyde until he and Buck would sulk off and probably shoot things in the woods. Despite her struggling to wipe up her tears they just kept streaming. How did she know how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to her mother? They had said goodbye before… why was this time different?/

A hand flew outside the window to gesture them into the house. It wasn't locked so they could just walk in. Clyde had their suitcase and carried it into the house. Bonnie just walked in and Blanche gave her a hug before taking her coat. "Merry Christmas!" That hug was the most comforting thing for Bonnie in that very moment. Clyde went up to his brother and they shared their little not-so-secret handshake. Bonnie unbuttoned her coat and took it off. Blanche noticed the tearstains on Bonnie's cheeks and instantly became concerned. "What happened, Bonnie, are you okay?"

Bonnie nodded. She knew Blanche was going to be concerned. Clyde answered for Bonnie while she hung up her coat by the door. "We just went to see her mama; we didn't exactly stay long." Blanche nodded and pursed her lips. She went and gave Clyde a friendly hug as well. Had hell frozen over? Clyde thought that when hell froze over would be the only time Blanche was nice to him. "Eh, Buck, alright if I take our bag to the back bedroom?" Buck nodded and followed him over to the back bedroom.

"I think he's going to put sheets on y'all's bed." Blanche informed her. "My oh my, Bonnie, you look nice!" That was a compliment coming from Blanche who only gave compliments when she had to. "Well where are my manners? Why don't you sit down? I've got some leftovers from dinner on the table, I can fix you a plate…"

"Bonnie politely refused the dinner but sat willingly in Buck's chair when Blanche offered it to her. "I'm much more interested in how things have been 'round here. Are you and Buck doin' alright? I know money's tight…"

"We're makin' do. Times are hard but we'll make it work." Blanche stated quickly. Buck and Clyde came back into that parlor. "Well, daddy an' I are glad to have you two with us for Christmas. Now I hope you know we'll be goin' to church Christmas mornin'." Clyde made a sour face and stood behind Bonnie in the chair. She put a hand on his as if to convince him on the subject. "Then we'll be back here for dinner an' we'll have over mom an' dad. Won't we, daddy?" Buck nodded. That was the plan. "But that's still two days away. You can invite your mama, Bonnie, if you want to."

Bonnie shook her head almost as vigorously as Clyde did. "She doesn't know." Bonnie cradled her stomach sadly. Blanche was incredibly sympathetic but she didn't really know how that felt. Bonnie and Blanche were really in opposite situations. The brunette was a wife without a child; the redhead was a mother without a husband. Neither was sad, but neither was happy with their situation./

"It's okay, sugar." Clyde tried to comfort Bonnie. He didn't know how she felt, but he figured it was all kinds of awful. "And Blanche, how 'bout you an' Bonnie spend tomorrow together? I think Buck an' I'll help pa at the house. Y'know how many of the windows've been busted out by hoodlums."/

Buck and Clyde exchanged knowing glances, but their women were still in the dark. Buck wrapped his arm around his wife and kissed the top of her head. She shrugged. Did she want to spend time with Bonnie? Well, it couldn't be embad./em "I dunno what we'll do, but I'm sure we'll find somethin'." Blanche didn't know what those two sneaky boys were planning, but they sure as hell weren't fixing any windows.

_Author's Note: Howdy guys! I feel bad, my notes are constantly at the bottom but I want to thank you all who reviewed, and such sweet words from everyone I've heard from! much like—from the sound of it—most of you, I wish I could've seen Bonnie and Clyde live onstage, but via youtube I found (and fell in love with) this show, and I'm so glad I did! So yes, this chapter was difficult for me because I feel like it's just a fluffy filler, but the next one with (hopefully) be up a little quicker than this one was. And there's still the poll of what gender the baby should be, and I'm also taking name suggestions! Thank you once more and please review!_


	8. Boys and Girls

Boys and Girls

It was the middle of the night. Blanche and Buck were asleep and probably had been for a while. Bonnie couldn't sleep: the baby kept her awake most of the night. She was so tired but she couldn't get any sleep. "Clyde, don't you think it's about time we start discussing baby names?" Bonnie asked.

Clyde was still pretty groggy. "Can't we discuss this is the morning, baby?"

Bonnie shook her head. "How much longer do you think we can put this off?" True, Bonnie's due date was in March and it wasn't that far away now that it was December. Just three months, and Bonnie realized they didn't have much planned at all. Clyde rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Bonnie sighed. "You're right, you probably need your rest. I'll just be thinking until _your_ son or daughter calms down enough to let me sleep too." She knew how to get Clyde to have this conversation. All she had to do was passively point fingers at him.

"Alright, now's as good a time as ever." He rolled back towards her and pushed up the pillows so he was sitting up. Bonnie cuddled up beside him. "Don't really know any good names for a girl. But I got some ideas for our son." Bonnie raised her eyebrows and he smirked. "Billy maybe, or Al; nice strong names; names no kid'll be dumb enough to mess with."

Bonnie chuckled. "Al Capone and Billy the Kid? Are those good role—" She remembered what the two did for a living and she backed down. "—I like Billy. Short for William so that he would have a real legal name, correct? William 'Billy' Parker."

"Barrow… Billy _Barrow_." Clyde interrupted. "If I had my way, sugar, you'd both have my last name. At least our kid can be a Barrow."

_Clyde and Billy and Bonnie Barrow_, thought the redhead fondly. The three of them would have interesting adventures she was sure, but she was certain they would have adventures whether their child was named Billy or not. But Billy Barrow had a nice ring to it, and it was a tough name. Barrow was a tough name; as was Parker now.

Clyde continued. "Well, Bonnie, do you have any ideas? If not, we should try to get some rest."

Bonnie knew she wasn't going to sleep. She had only thought of one name for the baby, and in hindsight she should've thought of more. "Clara." After Clara Bow, of course, Bonnie's idol growing up. It was almost funny that the two of them picked out very different names for the same reason. "But I'm sure in the morning if you ask your brother and I ask Blanche they'll have some great ideas on names too." They both knew that Blanche would pick out some super Christian names that made the child sound like it was born to be a nun or a preacher. Buck wouldn't really have any names in his mind, but he would agree with anything the other three said and wouldn't be much help. Bonnie yawned. "Well, I guess that's three names more than we had this morning. I won't keep you up any longer, baby." She lied back down on her side and he slid back down under the covers as well. With his arms wrapped around her and his hands on her belly, the two drifted off into their separate dreamlands and fast asleep.

…the next morning, Clyde and Buck go to their parents' house…

Buck and Clyde headed out early in hopes that no one would see them sneaking over. Of course it didn't matter that Buck was heading over there, but his brother didn't want to spend Christmas in prison (or worse). They had a plan—Buck did all the work behind it, really, but it was Clyde's idea—and it had to be set up at the Barrow's place. If it was at Blanche's it would have been too obvious to everyone at the house.

Mr. Barrow opened the front door. "Merry Christmas, boys." He said while they walked in. He locked the door behind his sons. "What can I get for you?"

"Bonnie's present… Buck gave it to ma so that Blanche wouldn't tell 'er." Honestly, Clyde was amazed by his brother's creativity and ability to lie to his wife. Buck seemed to tell Blanche everything, but not this, and Clyde wasn't completely sure why he didn't want Blanche to know. Mr. Barrow nodded and went into the kitchen to find the gift.

He came back in with a box and opened it to show it to his two sons. "This is what you wanted, ain't it?" He asked. The Barrow brothers looked at the gift in amazement. It was exactly what Clyde had wanted to get, and Buck made his own refinements to Clyde's request. "And your ma made somethin', too." Mr. Barrow showed another piece of the gift: two gray knit blankets, one big and one little. Clyde was at a complete loss of words. It was a sweet, meaningful gift that would also be functional. What could he say to his folks to express his gratitude for everything that they had done: more than the gift, but also continuing to be there for him when he left West Dallas, became an outlaw, and they were really helping him and Bonnie more than they knew. How could he say all that?

"It's great, pa." Buck said to his father when Clyde said nothing. Every now and then when they were young he would end up speaking when Clyde ran out of things to say: that was his job as his older brother. Clyde was more charismatic, yes, and much better at talking to strangers. But when Clyde was talking to their folks he struggled to find the right things to say. Lucky for Buck, he didn't have that trouble. "Well, can we do anything for you, pa? Clyde mentioned the windows need repair…"

Mr. Barrow smiled at his younger son but didn't address him with his next sentence. Clyde knew that it was partially aimed at him, but Buck took it instead. "Um, yeah. I got some boards out back to patch 'em up." The boys went out behind the house and were ready to get some real work done.

…Bonnie and Blanche go to Blanche's salon…

"I can fix you up nicely, style your hair right, and I know a really good diner up the street." Blanche told her as they walked across the dirt road to the salon. Bonnie messed with the sleeves of the dress Blanche gave her. It was an ugly thing and the fabric wasn't comfortable by any means. Bonnie had grown to accustom to the luxuries that Clyde got for her. "With the right look you'll be almost unrecognizable and you'll be able to be out and about in this community if you want, and you and Buck and I'll go to church tomorrow. And that dress'll keep you from lookin' like a millionaire and bein' a target in this town…"

Blanche never stopped talking. Bonnie knew that was going to cause a problem between the two women because the brunette never knew when to shut her mouth. Blanche's optimism was appreciated, but it did no good to Bonnie. "Someone's gonna recognize me, Blanche. The preacher man, the sheriff, Ted, my mama…"

Blanche whipped around in the doorway of the salon. "You underestimate how much you already don't look like the Bonnie Parker this town remembers. Didn't you say you visited your mama at night, in the dark? How could she have seen that you were pregnant in _that_ lighting, especially if you were wearing that big coat you wore to our place? No, she didn't notice; and no one at that church will either. And once I'm done with you you'll be _absolutely_ unrecognizable, I promise that—" Blanche walked into the salon and Bonnie followed. The redhead sat down and Blanche was getting ready to get to work. "Lock the door, will you honey?" Bonnie did as she was instructed and locked the door, making sure that the sign still said that the salon was _closed._ The last thing Bonnie wanted was for any of those salon women that Blanche usually associated with to come in and start asking questions.

"What is it exactly you're doing with my hair?" Bonnie loved her statement red hair. People called her the 'ravishing redhead', and she loved that. It was a staple of hers. She didn't want Blanche to cut it—if it was too short she wouldn't be able to do anything with it (not that she really did anything with it _now_, but if she wanted to she wanted to have the freedom to do so). Bonnie didn't want to get her hair fixed, but there was no other way to get Blanche to take the money.

"Don't worry, it won't be anything _too _much. I'm gonna darken it, I think, go for a nice brown. Or do you prefer blonde? With that face shape I suppose you really could go either way… I don't wanna cut it though, so you'll still have the style just in a new color. I think it'll look nice brown…" Bonnie didn't want to argue or cut off the woman. It irritated her that Blanche wouldn't listen, but who else did Bonnie really have to talk to in this town? There were the Barrows but she didn't want to be a burden on either of them, Buck would probably be either with Blanche or Clyde, and she always had Clyde with her. Blanche mixed up the dye and started to slather it onto her head. "By the time I'm done you'll be a whole new lady. You'll look like a star!"

Bonnie was amazed that _she_ actually had to be the practical one in the room. "And why'll I be comin' to church with you on Christmas? Clyde's not goin'. He can't. Why would I go to church with you when you don't care 'bout me, I know you don't care 'bout me." There. Everything that Bonnie had been thinking while Blanche had been blabbering was out in the open.

"You think I don't care 'bout you?" Blanche continued to brush the dye through Bonnie's hair. The red was slowly turning browner before Blanche's eyes. "I know Clyde's not comin' to church with us, but Buck is and mom and dad are." Blanche always referred to Buck's parents as _mom_ and _dad_. Her parents were _ma_ and _pa_, and Buck was _daddy_. The series of Blanche's nicknames for people made Bonnie's head spin. "You're my cousin Nellie, visitin' from Arkansas. Your husband had a farm out there, before he died. So you're stayin' with me until the end of the holidays and then you'll go visit family up north."

Bonnie was almost amazed by Blanche's story. "And how long've you been sittin' on that story?"

Blanche put down the bowl and the brush and let the dye sit on Bonnie's hair. "See, I want you to be safe when you're here. Bonnie, we're family now, and family looks after each other. I think of you…" For once, Blanche didn't have any words. "You _are_ family, Bonnie." She put her hand on Bonnie's arm.

"Of course we're family, technically we're sisters-in-law." Bonnie commented, sharp as a tack. She took her arm away from Blanche's grip and folded her hands on her belly.

_Sisters,_ thought Blanche, that was essentially what she and Bonnie were. She was warming up to the redhead slowly but surely. "I never had a sister before." She mused, but then turned away from the sentimentality. "Maybe that's why I'm tryin' to protect you. You're like my little sister; I wanna see good things happen to you an' I wanna see you an' Clyde an' that baby at my house for many more Christmases to come."

"Speakin' of the baby, me an' Clyde were discussin' names last night." Bonnie mentioned. She was hoping to change the subject before Blanche mentioned something she didn't want to talk about: staying in West Dallas, seeing her mother, _actually _becoming a real member of the family, baptism, dinner parties, prison sentences… Baby names were safe enough to discuss. "We only came up with three: William, Al, and Clara. What do you think? I mean… if you picked the name, what would it be?"

Blanche thought for a moment. How long had she been coming up with baby names for her own unborn children that unfortunately were just figments of her imagination? She had a stockpile of names, but would she let Bonnie raid it? "Well, it's more than just a _name,_ Bonnie, you gotta think of how it sounds as a whole. William Parker sounds nice, so does Clara Parker, but Al Parker just doesn't sound as nice."

"The baby's gonna be a Barrow." Bonnie said quickly.

Blanche stuck her finger in the hair dye to see if it was done. _A few more minutes_, she told herself. "Well then any of those three names work, I suppose." But Bonnie didn't ask what she _thought _of the names already there, she wanted additions to the list. "I'd name a boy Daniel or Joseph or Christian…" She saw Bonnie make a sour face at _Christian_. "…but of a girl I'd have to go with Gwen or Marian." They weren't exactly names Bonnie would've chosen, but the names for the girls weren't _terrible_. Before Bonnie could reply, Blanche was ready to finish up her hair. "Now we just have to rinse out this color an' we can go to the diner for lunch. Sound nice?"

Bonnie nodded. It did sound nice: she got her hair done, gained a few baby names, and Blanche was offering to take her to the diner she used to work at to actually _buy_ lunch instead of serve it. _Maybe_, thought Bonnie while Blanche soaked her hair in the sink, _it wasn't so bad to have a sister._

_Author's note: voila! This chapter is complete (and rather long)! Thank you to _KnightNight7203 _for recommending a baby name. I figured Blanche would come up with stuck-up "I-have-everything-monogrammed" kind of names if this child were modern, and what did you think of Bonnie's alter ego made from "Blanche's Imagination"? Well, no, not really, she's really a character I borrowed from _South Pacific_…and another note, in all the _Bonnie and Clyde_ publicity photos she's got brown hair, not red. Therefore for her disguise she's a brunette. Simple stuff: little useless easter eggs I scatter…  
Oh well. What did Clyde and Buck get for Bonnie for Christmas? Will Bonnie be able to go to church or will they see through "Nellie"? I guess we'll find out in the next chapter! Please oh please review this story, I love hearing everyone's feedback!_


	9. Saints and Sinners

_Author's note: First off, I'm pretty sure this is the most supportive fandom I have ever been a part of, thank you to every single one of you who reads and those who review! Also, apologies in advance! This chapter is long, contains the f-word (only once, so vulgar language in moderation), I am giving into all of my own little headcanons and… yeah, I'll let you read now._

Saints and Sinners

It was Christmas morning. Clyde stayed in bed, but he knew Bonnie was already up and getting ready for church. She was looking in the mirror of the boudoir, wearing a satin negligee he picked out for her not too long before. It fit a little tighter around her middle than it had when he bought it for her, but it still fit nicely. Her hair was combed back (he was going to have to get used to it being brown now) and she was getting ready to tuck it into one of Blanche's old hats. Damn, she _did_ look good in hats. Clyde was still half asleep but he watched her put on her makeup and put on that black dress that Blanche gave her. It was a nice disguise, she didn't look like the Bonnie he knew—and he saw her every day! She looked like a regular West Dallas citizen. The finishing touch was the hat and her black t-strap heels she wore the day he first met her. She kissed his forehead and exited the bedroom, ready for church with Blanche and Buck.

The next bedroom over, Blanche was straightening her husband's tie. She was already ready and based on the looks of it she had been ready for a while. Every now and then she would take a piece of clothing out of the chest-of-drawers and toss it into a little leather suitcase. Buck looked at it curiously. "Where're we goin', baby?"

"Dunno." She said illusively, but it wasn't as sweet as she had hoped it to sound. "I mean, I don't know yet. But I will soon, daddy, and it's gonna be great."

That didn't make Buck feel any better about his wife's trip plan. "Where are we goin'? New Mexico? I'm sure it's nice, baby…" She kissed his cheek, leaving a rusty lipstick stain. She smudged it away. "You're not tellin' me, are you? Is this my Christmas present, keep me waitin' while you're packin' for a trip?" It was clear that her lips were sealed. He pulled out his watch and checked the time. "Well we should be goin' if you want to see ma and pa before the service. No doubt they'll wanna see Bonnie."

The two left their bedroom to find Bonnie waiting for them perched on the arm of Buck's chair. "Merry Christmas." She said with a smile, her hands folded over her stomach. She stood and the three were ready to walk to the church.

…later on, at the church…

Bonnie hadn't been to that riveting of a church service in a good long while. Sitting with Mr. and Mrs. Barrow and their older son and his wife, she finally felt like not only a member of the family but also a member of society. Blanche was taking pleasure in introducing "her cousin Nellie" to everyone she could, but Bonnie avoided one face in that church.

Ted.

There were two people she didn't want to see: Ted and her mama. Luckily enough for her, her mama wasn't a Sunday church-goer despite how hard she tried to be. Ted was at church every Sunday, and he sat just a few rows behind Bonnie and the other Barrows. Every now and then she wondered if he recognized her. He could blow her cover. But wasn't it suspicious considering he was the only person in the whole congregation she wasn't talking to? Bonnie even spoke to the pastor (who was Blanche's father and a very friendly man, but he was fed a different story than everyone else).

"Nellie!" Blanche grabbed Bonnie's sleeve and pulled her out of the pew after the service had ended. "There's a deputy that wants to meet you, Nell, then we're goin' to dinner, okay?" Bonnie swallowed. This was probably her worst fear coming true. "Nellie, let me introduce you to one of our lovely police officers 'round her, Ted—"

Ted offered his hand to Bonnie and she shook it, but there was a look on Ted's face that showed some sort of familiarity. She tried to play it off by looking at him with a puzzled expression. "Sorry, miss, you just look so much like—" Bonnie wanted to hear him say it. But before he could he laughed uneasily. "—I'm sorry, a girl I used to go to school with. But it's nice to meet you, Nellie. I didn't know Blanche had any family out in Arkansas!" Before Bonnie could make a comment on that Blanche was pulling her away.

"Ted, I really wish we could stay, but we're havin' dinner with Buck's parents and… well, I don't want to keep them waitin'." Ted nodded, trying to understand. Bonnie just smiled at Ted, tipped her head courteously and exited the church.

…later, Ted is back at the station…

_Christmas again alone_, thought he. In his mind he was supposed to be spending Christmas with Bonnie and her mama: buying gifts for the redhead that would be his little wife, taking care of his mother-in-law, and that sorry son-of-a-bitch Clyde Barrow was rotting in prison like he deserved to be. But instead Clyde got his girl and she was gone for good, Mrs. Parker would have nothing to do with him, and he was in the police station eating day-old apple pie from the diner alone.

That Nellie girl looked just like his sweet Bonnie…

No, there was no way that was Bonnie. Different hair, and Blanche was actually nice to that girl. Blanche wouldn't like Bonnie; Blanche didn't like anyone that wasn't a blood relative or a friend since they were itty bitty. But more noticeable than anything Bonnie wasn't pregnant. She couldn't be… Roy had been gone for forever. Bonnie wasn't _that_ kind of girl, she couldn't be. But for that split second he swore that he saw the same hopeful blue eyes the girl he remembered had…

Lots of girls had blue eyes, it wasn't just Bonnie. He had to quit seeing Bonnie in every girl he met, and he had to quit expecting every girl to be as wonderful as Bonnie. No, it wasn't going to ever be that way.

Another forkful of pie, that was exactly what he needed. A forkful of pie and a fifth of liquor. _Merry fucking Christmas._

…the Christmas celebration at Blanche's house is much more lively…

"Now, lucky for you, Bonnie, you're carryin' mostly to the front, so the baby hasn't changed your figure too much." Mrs. Barrow stated with a smile. She always tried to be friendly to her baby son's lady and Bonnie loved that kindness. It was as if Mrs. Barrow never had a hurtful word to say… was that what mothers were supposed to be like? Bonnie didn't know if she would ever be that friendly to anyone… "Why, you're a little slip of a thing; you'll slim down right away!"

Blanche spooned more potatoes onto her own plate before offering the bowl to Bonnie. "Potatoes?" Bonnie just slipped a smirk in Blanche's direction and more potatoes appeared on her plate. "Mom?" She politely refused. "Mom, where's dad? And Buck and Clyde, for that matter?"

Mrs. Barrow shrugged. "They're probably off enjoying their Christmas just like we're enjoyin' ours." Blanche threw the spoon back into the bowl of potatoes. _Oh yes_, thought Blanche sourly, _I'm enjoying this _so_ much._ Perhaps the thing that was irritating Blanche was that in her _own _home she wasn't the center of attention. Bonnie was quite comfortable being the topic of the conversation. "Do you two have any names picked out? I can't wait to meet my first grandbaby!" Blanche just pouted. How was she going to reply to that? Well, she didn't have to reply to it; it wasn't exactly aimed at her. She partially wished that she had been the parent of Mrs. Barrow's first grandbaby… she should've been remembered with that kind of glory. Instead waltzed in this _ravishing redhead_ stealing her thunder… for a mere moment she was absolutely green with envy. She had to behave and bite her tongue: let Mrs. Barrow compliment her _other_ daughter. "I'd love to know what to call that baby of yours." Bonnie was flattered beyond words, but she didn't know the exact answer. She hadn't weeded through the list of names she had now gathered, and Clyde didn't tell her what Buck said to him.

Clyde came in through the back door and kissed Bonnie on the forehead as he passed her. "Why don't you ask your son, Mrs. Barrow?" Bonnie asked softly. Clyde just let out a confused hum as his father and Buck went behind them and into the parlor. Buck just made a little sly face at his wife on his way into the other room. "Your mama wants to know the name of the baby."

Clyde rubbed his neck, unsure of the right answer. "Well, sugar, why didn't you tell her?" He didn't know what to say. Had he and Bonnie _officially _picked a name? No, not really. He didn't even know if Bonnie had any other names on her mind: the only one she mentioned was Clara. "Ma, we'll let you know when we have a name…"

"The ideas we have are William, Al, or Joseph for a boy; Clara, Gwen, or Marian for a girl." Bonnie told her. Well, Blanche's name choices actually made it on that list despite the fact that she thought they would disappear. Bonnie wasn't just making small talk when she asked for names… she actually wanted her say!

Mrs. Barrow shook her head. "I like Gwen." Mrs. Barrow said with giddy authority. "You're gonna have a girl, I just know it. Girls are carried more t'wards the front, far as I've seen."

A daughter. That made Bonnie happy and Clyde nervous. A granddaughter was something every grandmother seemed to desire. But a daughter (in Clyde's eyes) was much more work than a son. He'd have to provide for that little girl in ways he wouldn't have to provide for a boy. Was he just biased considering he grew up with a big brother and he grew up poorer than Bonnie seemed to? Perhaps he was… "Sugar, it's time for you to open your Christmas present." He grabbed her hand and started to pull her towards the parlor. Blanche and Mrs. Barrow were already up from the table and heading in there themselves.

"Baby, I told you you need to quit spoilin' me!" She said with a squeal. He kissed her before picking her up and spinning her around. "How much longer do you think you'll be able to do that?" Bonnie asked with incredible sentimentality as he wrapped his arms around her waist and peppered her neck with kisses. Slowly but surely he was pulling her into the other room.

There her present was: clear as day that it was for her. It was a wooden bassinet with a pillow mattress in it, two gray blankets folded over the side. The bassinet was on rockers so that she could rock it if she wanted to, but she wasn't sure if that was the most stable thing to put a baby in. "Pa and I made it, but Clyde sent us the design." Buck said bashfully and pulled his wife closer to him. "We wanted you to have somethin' special for the baby, but we figured you'd wanna keep it here till the baby came."

"Speakin' of when the baby comes…" Blanche cut off Buck to make her own little announcement. "Buck an' I have decided that we're gonna go north with you an' Clyde!" That didn't make anyone in the room happy; just very confused. "Daddy, you're always talkin' 'bout how you wanna get outta West Dallas, this is our chance!"

Buck scoffed. "I thought you didn't approve of me—and I quote—" He raised his voice an octave or so and faked a much stronger accent. "Fugitivin'." As his voice returned to normal, no one could argue that his impersonation was almost spot on.

Blanche laughed, trying to play that off as a joke. "Who said we would be _fugitivin'_? I merely think that we should be there for the _happy _couple when the baby comes, that's all." Well, it wasn't a _bad_ plan. How bad could it really go.

Clyde was all ready to argue. "NO WAY. We're not draggin' fu—" Bonnie squeezed his hand and smiled at him. Was she really trying to make him _agree _with Blanche? By the looks of it, she was. "Oh, alright. Since I'm in the holiday spirit…" Buck clapped a hand on Clyde's shoulder. He seemed very happy: two brothers back in the saddle, doing the same things they did as kids together. Now they weren't just Bonnie and Clyde, no no, they were officially the Barrow Gang.

_Author's note: Whew, I'm done with this chapter! Can I just state that I'm actually sad that they shortened how long the full "Barrow Gang" was together. Also, I figure it's time I point out that aforementioned headcanon: Blanche's father is the preacher. I figure it makes sense, and also I read somewhere that Blanche's father was a pastor. So yeah, that's the end of this installment… back to crime next time! Please review, it makes my writing speed up (well not really, but it gives me the desire to post)._


	10. Back to Work

Back to Work

Buck and Clyde woke up their women at the crack of dawn. Bonnie rolled out bed and put on her dress over her slip, ready to get in the car and get out of West Dallas. It took Blanche a little longer: she wasn't content wearing her nightclothes under her outfit for the day: she had planned a "riding outfit" (and Bonnie was quite interested to see what _that_ was) and it didn't allow her to wear her nightgown underneath it. Clyde thought that maybe Blanche was too good and Christian to wear the kind of nightgowns Bonnie wore (even now that she was expecting, her nightgowns were still flimsy) and that she wore one of those flannel muumuus his ma wore when he was a kid. Ugh, if Blanche was going to be her usual uppity self he wasn't sure if she would live past one job.

"Get your wife out here, we gotta get goin'." Clyde said to his brother, grabbing his sleeve. Bonnie sat in the back seat until Buck got out of the car. "Come on up here, sugar; sit by me." She did so and he wrapped his arm around her. His lips hit her forehead and she smiled at him. "Why're you so happy?"

She just giggled. "I think it's funny. The four of us: you, me, Buck, and Blanche… you thought we wouldn't get along, and now we're all getting out of West Dallas together." When he started to laugh as well she kissed his cheek. There came Blanche and Buck. Buck was dressed for the occasion, and Blanche was dressed like… well, it was definitely something. "Where's your horse?" Bonnie asked, with a little more mockery and distaste than she had probably planned to use.

Blanche was dressed like she was going out to the stables: riding pants, a white polo, and boots. "It's comfortable." She said before getting into the backseat alongside Buck. "Bonnie, don't you wanna sit back here? Maybe you can get a little more sleep…"

"I can sleep when I'm dead." _Well that's morbid_, thought Blanche. Had she really just volunteered to go on what Bonnie made sound like a suicide mission? "Baby, let's go before the cops are headin' down to the station." With the engine revving Blanche realized it was too late to turn back. She had agreed to this new lifestyle, and she wasn't going to be left behind by her family this time.

…weeks later, the Barrows get a letter from their family on the road…

"Honey, we got mail!" Mr. Barrow called to his wife, who was cooking up a chicken for dinner. She came in and they both perused the letter.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I know you probably wanted to hear from Buck and Clyde, or Bonnie even, but they're busy so I'm writing this letter._

_Yes, we're all fine. No one's hurt; and we're all doing fine. They're busy in the day and plumb tired by the time they get home. Bonnie's loving it though. She's very happy with everything, and practically rolling in the money they're bringing every night._

_Don't worry, she's okay. She's in the car for some of the jobs, and every now and then Clyde'll let her go in. She only goes in when she wants to—oh, and she wants to—but Clyde is very careful with when she goes in and when she stays out: don't worry. Recently she's been staying back with me, but I don't think she likes it very much. Buck and I are going to make sure that she's alright; that we're all alright._

_We should be back by Easter, but probably not a moment sooner. I think this will be the last letter I write for a while. And when Buck and I get back there, you'll be able to meet your new granddaughter or grandson._

_Blessings to you all back home,  
Blanche (and the other three)_

…meanwhile in Missouri…

Bonnie just sat on the edge of the bed and pouted with her arms folded across her chest. "What do you _mean _I'm not goin'?" She whined at Clyde while he tucked a handgun into each of his pockets.

"Exactly that: you're not goin'." Clyde answered and kissed her forehead in hopes of lightening the mood. It wasn't too bad outside for it being late January, but beyond weather concerns he didn't want her going. "You should stay and keep Blanche company."

Bonnie groaned and flopped backwards onto the bed. "I don't _wanna_ stay and keep Blanche _company,_ that's all I ever do anymore!" He sat down beside her on the bed and she perked up, keeping a hand on her round stomach. "I wanna go with you, baby, I wanna have a good adventure."

"You ain't even dressed for an adventure, sugar!" Bonnie started to get up to get dressed out of her nightgown, but Clyde held her down gingerly, resting his hand on top of hers. "You gotta stay safe, Bonnie, if not for your sake—and mine—for the baby. 'Sides, Blanche isn't _that_ bad of company…" The two laughed at that. She still was a pill although she was warming up (slowly but surely) to both Clyde and Bonnie. But Clyde was right: there were worse people Bonnie could be spending her days with. She just tried to smile at him. "We'll be back later, sugar, and we'll have some dinner with us. Alright?" Before his precious Bonnie could even answer he and Buck were gone.

…later, Clyde and Buck are at the bank…

"Put the cash in the bag an' no one gets hurt." Clyde said, tossing the bag in the direction of the banker. He nor Buck lowered their guns. They were gonna be as famous as Al Capone—they knew it—and their confidence was unwavering. If things went wrong, they'd shoot their way out. But things were going right… as right as they could.

The banker was taking wads of cash out of the safe and placing it in the bag. The man can't take his eyes off of Clyde. He had the look of an ordinary man: not the kind of villain that Clyde always saw them out when he was a boy. The banker wasn't old or young, probably a man that had two or three children of his own and that's why his hair was graying and combed over his scalp.

The money couldn't have been put in quick enough. Clyde was almost taking pity on that man. "Buck, get the bag." Buck did as he was told. "Pleasure doin' business with you gents." Clyde tipped his hat. He and his brother bolted.

…meanwhile at the apartment…

Inside the other room Blanche was already up and working away at… something. Bonnie was practically exhausted, her disheveled hair falling over her nightgown. Blanche was in that riding outfit again, and Bonnie half wondered why she had a bag full of clothes if she was planning on wearing that one outfit more than any others. "I'm surprised you ain't dressed, it's after noon." Blanche commented, losing the kindness she had built up towards Bonnie. Perhaps it was a slip of the mind, for soon her kind responses came back. "Not like we really have anywhere to go, though. Wanna make breakfast? I think the boys left some coffee and biscuits and I know we still have plenty of honey."

Biscuits and honey, that sounded nice. But Bonnie was much more interested in what Blanche was doing. "What're you makin'?" Blanche's hands were moving a mile a minute, stitching something together.

"I figured you'll need some clothes for that baby of yours." She lifted a piece of cloth off of her sewing basket to reveal little pieces that were clearly little outfits: shades of yellow, green, blue, red, and gray cut into different shapes and sizes. "I could teach you how to sew, if you wanted, so that you could make things like this—"

Bonnie tried to politely refuse. "I'm not much of a sewer, Blanche. I think I'll end up buyin' her clothes." _Her_, Bonnie thought. It was all so real now! Blanche continued her sewing and Bonnie sat down to eat some of those leftover biscuits and honey. The room was very quiet now that Blanche stopped talking (and Bonnie thought she hadn't slept enough to have a real conversation) so Bonnie turned on the radio.

Blanche panicked. She stood up and turned off the radio. "Are you tryin' to get us killed?" Bonnie's eyebrows knitted together. "What if someone heard, and they're comin' here ready to shoot? What if they're after the money? What if they—"

Bonnie almost laughed at Blanche's nervousness. "They're gonna come into this room and accuse two ladies who're sewin' and eatin' breakfast of stealin' thousands of dollars? You're crazy." Bonnie turned back on the radio while Blanche thought of how foolish she did really sound. She started to sing along when hers and Clyde's song came on the radio.

"_How 'bout a dance?  
It's always fun  
come over here  
let me get to know ya  
can't beat a band  
to lift your spirits, hon"_

Fuddy-duddy Blanche was still sewing away without a care in the world. Bonnie got up from her seat and stood behind Blanche's chair, continuing to sing even louder. Maybe if she sang loud enough Blanche would join in.

"_How 'bout a dance?  
Let's make a start  
music like this  
can really throw ya.  
You'll lose the blues  
and you may lose…"_

Blanche, of course, didn't pick up the last words as Bonnie mouthed them behind her. "Oh, come on, Blanche, I know you know that song! Everybody knows that song."

"I ain't singin' that song, I ain't a nightclub singer." Blanche said clearly. Bonnie sat back in her chair and looked in Blanche's direction. "Well that song pepped you up, didn't it? Maybe that breakfast is finally kickin' in, and you're ready for the day." Blanche saw Bonnie fiddling with the volume of the radio, turning it up so loud that Blanche couldn't ignore it.

Boy, spitfire Bonnie was going to be a thorn in Blanche's side. And stick-in-the-mud Blanche had met her match when she fussed at the pregnant woman who was singing to the radio.

…Buck and Clyde are on their way home from the bank…

Buck sat in the passenger seat counting the folds of bills they had gotten from the bank. For the week they had made over a thousand dollars. There was clearly more money in the banks of Missouri than there probably was in all of West Dallas. Driving up to sixty miles per hour Buck started to wonder about what they could expect back at home. "What do you think the girls do while we're gone all day?"

Clyde shrugged. "Dunno. I bet Blanche reads Bible verses an' Bonnie's probably asleep or writin'." Buck nodded. That sounded about right. What else would they be doing?

Only an hour till they were home. Then they'd see their ladies, have dinner, and call it a day. How good it was to be the Barrow brother: back on the job at long last!

_Author's note: okay, this chapter happened. I figured that Bonnie annoying Blanche was something that was bound to happen. Blanche can't be sweet to Bonnie _all the time_, and Bonnie has to try to get that fuddy-duddy (I don't know why I always use that phrase to describe Blanche, I just feel like it works) to do something fun! And Clyde and Buck at the bank… gotta have some of that crime life in there. It won't be too long till we meet little Barrow! Please review, I'll update soon!_


	11. To Have A Home

_Author's note: yes, this chapter is _purely_ filler and wasn't supposed to exist, but here's the last chapter before baby Barrow is born! Please read on lovelies, and review (last chapter had a record low of reviews, but maybe that was an oversight)!  
Also, WHAT THE HECK! I've tried to re-upload this (I guess it crashed?) and I hope it'll work this time. If you get to read this, please review!_

To Have a Home

Bonnie and Blanche were scouting out places to stay. "We can't go to Missouri, or Utah, and Texas is _completely_ out of the question." Clyde had instructed them before lending them the keys to one of the cars. Of course Blanche didn't know how to drive it, so Bonnie was behind the wheel and Blanche was just giving her less-than-helpful chatter to Bonnie. She didn't seem to mind Blanche too much anymore, they had come to an understanding that Clyde nor Buck could even believe.

It was February and Bonnie and Blanche were taking a little weekend trip away from the boys, further than they had ever gone before. "I ain't ever been away from daddy this long." Blanche admitted guiltily. Why did she sound so guilty about that? "Even when he was in prison I saw him every other day, and I knew he was goin' to be there when I came by. Now I ain't so sure."

Blanche was a nervous wreck when it came to leaving Buck. She didn't want to go, but neither of the Barrow brothers was going to let Bonnie go alone. Blanche still got upset when Buck went on jobs with Clyde; she didn't want to leave his side unless she had to. She was a devoted wife, and Bonnie commended her for that. It must've been hard for that Christian of a woman to be so faithful to her criminal husband. Bonnie was thankful that she and Clyde—although not married—wanted the same thing: to be remembered. They were on the path do being remembered.

The two ladies made it to Oklahoma quickly and Bonnie parked outside the house that she had seen in the newspaper. It was nice: not too little but not too big, a nice first home for all of them. "Daddy an' I always talked about ownin' a house." Blanche said gleefully, looking up at the second story out of her passenger seat window. Bonnie was also happy with the quaint Oklahoma house, it would be the perfect place to hide out and a great place for a baby to be raised. "I think they'll like it, don't you, Bonnie?"

Bonnie smiled and looked back at the house. It was like something out of a dream. She and Clyde (and Buck and Blanche too) had a house together, a nice little home in Oklahoma. It was the perfect place to start an ordinary life together, or at least pretend to have one. Almost misty-eyed, Bonnie got out of the car. "We should go in and see it before we decide to get it." Blanche also got out of the car and they walked up towards the house.

Blanche dug through her purse to find the key they had gotten from the bank. Oh, the bankers were more than willing to help the Arkansas widow "Nellie" and her cousin "Winifred" (a terrible name, really, but it's all Blanche could come up with for herself) find a house to raise the baby in before they moved north to live with family. Bonnie wondered who the real writer was: Bonnie loved to write, but Blanche had a natural talent for making up almost plausible stories. They didn't seem to mind the temporary residence plan and Bonnie and Blanche had brought limited funds so that they wouldn't seem too wealthy. Once Blanche got the door open they took a little tour.

The kitchen seemed pretty nice, and there was a nice refrigerator against the wall. There was a card table with four chairs, and they didn't really need any more than that. It was a good size for the people that would be living there. Against the wall of the living room was a red-gold-and-black patterned couch (a gaudy thing, but Bonnie didn't mind it as much as Blanche did) with a cream colored tweed loveseat across from it. Between the two couches was a coffee table perfect for holding everything that they brought home from jobs. There was one downstairs bedroom and two upstairs and the one downstairs was quaint and little with a bathroom across the hall. Blanche was already blabbering about how she and Buck would be taking that downstairs bedroom and she assumed that Bonnie nor Clyde would mind. The two ladies went upstairs to see the other two bedrooms and they were actually pretty nice. Much like the downstairs bedroom one of the upstairs bedrooms was fully furnished and actually very nice, but the second bedroom was bare with a sheet thrown over a wood dresser in front of a window. Windows, there were a lot of windows in that house. That would either prove really nice or really bad depending on how their stay in Oklahoma went; they were little windows perfect for hiding behind the wall on either side, not quite big enough for someone to get in. "This room'll be a great nursery, don't you think?" Blanche commented, looking at the room as a whole. She turned on a light and proceeded into the room. "Buck an' I can pick up the bassinet, an' it can go right here. You an' Clyde'll be right next door. Yeah, this'll be a nice nursery indeed."

Bonnie just stood in the center of that nursery and dreamed of what it would be like. Would Clyde like this place enough to stay there for more than a few months? A part of her hoped he would. She saw where Blanche said that the bassinet would go, and it was the perfect location. They'd probably have the rocking chair that was on the back porch in the corner of the room so that Bonnie could rock the baby. The only thing Bonnie felt unsure about was that window. It was dangerous: the guns, the police, and the window that was the perfect place. No, it wasn't safe for the baby. None of this business was safe for the baby. But it was too late to change…

When Blanche came out of the master bedroom (and she thought Bonnie had followed her back in there, but she had not) she found Bonnie laying on the carpeted floor of the future nursery with her hands on her belly and tears in her eyes. "Bonnie?" Bonnie was tuning her out, as she often tried to do with Blanche. But this time the redhead was a little better at letting her uptight sister-in-law's words go in one ear and out the other. "Bonnie, honey, talk to me." Tears just leaked from Bonnie's eyes and fell down her cheeks. Blanche kneeled down beside her and leaned over her with concern. "Honey, you okay? You gotta get up. Is it the baby? The baby…Lord have mercy! We gotta get you to a doctor…"

"A doctor? Blanche, I'm fine. I'm allowed to sit down if I want to." Bonnie rolled her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows.

The brunette just looked super confused. "You were lyin' on the floor, cryin'." As if Bonnie didn't know what she was doing. Blanche helped her up. "I thought you were hurt, or the baby was comin'…God, don't scare me like that!"

Bonnie couldn't play off the confidence she was trying to. "Blanche, I _am_ scared." That was the most Blanche had really ever gotten out of Bonnie. Yeah, she was good with small talk, but she wasn't one for deep conversations. She let Blanche do most of the talking. This time, it was clearly Bonnie's turn to speak. "I'm _scared_, Blanche. What if somethin' happens to me, or to the baby, or to Clyde? I don't know what would happen if…" The tears started to well again, but this time she was determined to keep them in her eyes. "An' what'll happen when the baby comes? What'll I do? I just don't know what'll happen, Blanche…"

Blanche wrapped her arms around Bonnie and tried to comfort her as best she could. "You're gonna be fine, honey, don't you worry 'bout a thing. What do you say we go back to Kansas, and call our trip short?" Bonnie nodded and stood up. They started down the stairs and out of the house and Blanche continued to talk once Bonnie started the car. "Maybe on the way up we can pick out curtains for the nursery.

_Author's note: okay, I know it's short and it's not the speediest of updates but band season is kicking up, school is about to start, and I just applied to my dream school (fingers crossed). Woo, big week! Please review and tell me what you think of the story or if you have any sentiments or NAMES FOR THE BARROW BABY… just please say something. I like hearing from all of you lovely readers. Thank you in advance, and the next chapter should be posted speedily!_


	12. Barrow

_Author's note: heads up, this chapter is going to be set up a little different. Hopefully it's still alright, please let me know what you think!  
And on a different but _totally_ related note; you guys are the best! Every time I get a review you guys make me happy. Keep it up, I hope you keep enjoying my story!_

Barrow

March, it was finally March.

The weather was starting to become a little nicer in Oklahoma and the house they shared was really becoming a nice little home. Blanche and Bonnie really took care of the place while the boys went off to banks and grocery stores.

Although Bonnie really wanted to go on jobs (now more than ever, oddly) Clyde wouldn't let her leave the apartment unless she was going somewhere with Blanche. Maybe it was that idea that it was something she couldn't do that made her want to go, but he was really scared for her health and safety.

His son or daughter would be there any day now, he knew it. His mama said so, and his mama was very rarely wrong. Blanche kept an eye out for Bonnie during the day and he was very watchful of her when he was with her. If she felt any pain, he wanted to soothe it. If she was tired, he wanted her to rest. If she wanted something, he would do his best to get it for her. He wanted what was best for the baby, and what was best for Bonnie.

"Baby, do you have to go tomorrow?" Bonnie asked. It was late into the night, they were both exhausted, but they were going to have this conversation.

Clyde's head bobbed back and forth in a wishy-washy motion. "I dunno. Why?"

Bonnie sat up in the bed, propping herself up on her elbows. Her belly was huge now and the unborn Barrow never stopped kicking its mother. Although most of the time she appreciated those little fluttering feet, midnight was not one of those times. Clyde figured he should sit up beside her as well if they were going to have a full conversation. "I guess I just wanted to spend a day with you: a full day, just the two of us. We haven't done that since before Christmas, and we won't be able to do it too much longer…" She traced little circles on her belly as she spoke almost nervously. Why did she seem uncertain of her words? Clyde kissed her cheek.

"I know, sugar." There never was time for them to be alone together anymore, that was for sure. He and Buck had work to do, work that usually he and Bonnie did together. Blanche made sure that Bonnie was handled delicately and they weren't always together like they used to be. But when the baby came, they would _always_ have someone else there, no more stealing moments… "We'll take the day off tomorrow, Buck and I. It's Sunday anyways tomorrow. Blanche'll want to go to church; so will Buck. We can go to breakfast maybe… does that sound good?" She smiled but it seemed a little forced. "Are you okay?"

She sighed. "I'm _tired._" Another kick told Bonnie that she may have been the only one hoping to get some sleep. "But the baby is _not_." Clyde kissed her belly before she got back under the covers. The two were face to face, not saying a word, just enjoying each other's company. She brushed a little of his hair away from his eyes sweetly and smiled. That wasn't how either of them expected to spend their evenings together had you asked them the summer that they met; that was for sure. His hands touched her belly gingerly and Bonnie swore the baby might've calmed down just knowing that his or her papa was there.

"Goodnight, baby, let your mama rest." Clyde closed his eyes and Bonnie tried to do the same. Now she could maybe get some sleep… no, she _had_ to get some sleep.

…Bonnie…

It's too damn early, but I'm up anyways. Everyone is awake, I realize. Clyde is already dressed, and I'm just standing in front of the vanity mirror looking at myself. How—if—Clyde still finds me beautiful I really don't know. The only thing I can find about myself that is generally attractive is my hair, now that the brown is fading out and the red is growing back in. God, how can he still look at me? I can hardly look at me.

"You ready, sugar?" Clyde put a hand on my shoulder and looked at my reflection in the mirror. How could he stand to look at that reflection? I couldn't, not anymore. At least the color of this dress looked pretty nice by comparison to what fabric Blanche usually picked for dressed (she was an avid seamstress, but Clyde enjoyed getting outfits for me from nice shops) although I felt like I couldn't breathe with how tight it pulled across my belly.

I left, pressing a hand to my belly as we made our way down the stairs. Our little girl (or son, I know it could go either way) had been super energetic last night, and I'm wondering if that's because of the pie that they brought back from this restaurant. Maybe it is. All I know is that I'm not having pie with lunch today, anything to keep that baby calm enough to let me sleep. First things first: breakfast.

…Blanche…

Bonnie and Clyde are already gone, and daddy and I are at the church. It's a nice enough church, but it's not like pa's. Pa will probably want to baptize Bonnie's (or Nellie's, I suppose) baby when he or came, but will we be able to go back to West Dallas? I don't think daddy ever wants to go back… but we must eventually. We still have the apartment there, and I have the salon… did he expect us to drop everything and leave to be with Clyde and Bonnie?

I should pray. I should be praying. But I can't stop thinking about the Barrows that aren't at this Oklahoma church: mom and dad, Bonnie, Clyde, the baby… prayer. Pray is what I need to do, or sing along with the choir or something.

Daddy squeezes my hand trying to calm me. He always knows when I'm worrying over something, and he knows that I'm really worried about Bonnie's baby. Clyde's warming up to the idea of being a father, but I don't think he knows how much work that's really going to be. And Bonnie told me she's not ready to be this baby's mama, but she doesn't have much of a choice now. Their lives are going to change drastically when the baby comes, and the baby could be coming any day.

Today? My God, what if it's today?

I worry too much. I should get back to praying.

…Clyde…

Breakfast went over well enough, but Bonnie wasn't too into it. She was uncomfortable there and I wasn't sure if it was nervousness about being recognized by one of the cops in the restaurant or if she was just tired like she had been last night. Bonnie hardly touched her pancakes (given they didn't look like they were the _best_ thing on the menu) and just stared at the plate while I ate my omelet. And it was a damn good omelet, whoever that cook was did a great job! Bonnie was a good cook too, could out-cook Blanche any day… but Blanche did most of the cooking at the house…

We drove back to the house and I sped back. She was quiet, abnormally quiet and she sat close to the door instead of at my side. She almost always sat right at my side. I could tell that something was really wrong.

When the two of us got back into the house I heard her crying from the upstairs bedroom. Bonnie didn't cry: she was a strong woman, and I had never seen her really cry like this. I had seen her get angry, shit, dozens of times for stupid shit I've done. "Sugar?" I walked in to see her sitting on the edge of the bed clutching her stomach for dear life and crying.

"Baby…" She spoke in a voice hardly more than a whisper. My Bonnie, reduced to tears and whispers! I couldn't bear to see her like that… I sat beside her and she rested her head on my shoulder, sobbing onto my shirt. She squeezed my hand and continued to cry. I just kissed her forehead and pulled her hair away from her eyes and pin it back. She was miserable, I could see it in her eyes. Bonnie let go of my hand and started to tug loose the collar of the dress she was wearing. Jesus, I didn't realize how tight that dress really must've been on her… Bonnie cried even louder while she changed back into the peach-colored negligee I got her in Kansas. "It's the baby…" She finally said with a breath, falling back onto the bed beside me. What could I do but try to comfort her? I don't know anything about delivering babies…

Six knocks on the door: three slow, three quick. It's a blessing: Blanche and Buck are back, and not a moment too soon! Bonnie moans and buries her head into my collar and before I could say a word Blanche is up in the bedroom in a state of panic. "Out." She commands of me before kissing Buck's cheek. "Daddy, go wait downstairs with your brother. Bonnie'll be okay, boys, don't you worry." Next thing I know Buck and I are waiting at the top of the stairs, shut out of the master bedroom, and all I still hear is Bonnie crying.

…Buck…

Clyde paced back and forth in the living room. He's a nervous wreck and I would be too if Blanche was the one having a baby in that back bedroom. Thank God Blanche is just Bonnie's midwife, if not probably both Clyde and I would be pacing. "Wanna go an' get somethin' to eat?" I got no response from him. "Maybe we need to get outta here, go on a job. There's a grocery store just a little bit away."

His glare is a little too obvious. "I don't wanna rob a _store_, I wanna be with Bonnie." Well that made sense. If the shoe was on the other foot… "Get your wife to let me in there!" He commanded but I could tell that it wasn't out of meanness, only desperation. He wanted his Bonnie, and I understood.

"If Blanche won't let me in, how's she gonna give me permission to let you in?" Clyde's pacing continued. He was going to pace his way through an entire pair of those dress shoes he loved so much if he kept it up at this rate. "Clyde, I'm sure she's fine." As if cued by my words, a scream came from the back bedroom.

…Bonnie…

Shit. Damn it. Where's Clyde? He should be here right now.

Damn it! Damn it damn it damn it!

Blanche keeps talking but I just can't listen to her. I've been up here since breakfast and—damn, it's after five!

"Don't worry, honey, you're doin' just fine." Blanche tries to reassure me as sweetly as she can but even she must know her encouragement is worthless. I can't feel anything but pain and all I really hear is that pain. "This'll all be worth it, Bonnie, don't you worry 'bout a thing."

I'm not worried anymore, I just wanna meet my baby.

Damn it!

…Blanche…

FINALLY! I've been of some use to the boys for what I'm pretty sure is the first time on this entire trip. Neither of the boys would've helped Bonnie deliver the baby, but that was my job, and I did a pretty good job.

I was toweling off the baby while Bonnie just watched in awe. "I wanna hold my baby, Blanche." I handed her the baby, who was wrapped in the gray blanket mom gave her. Bonnie too was covered in a gray blanket, the bigger one. She was tired but all that tiredness shrunk down when she held her son in her arms. That baby was one of the calmest kids I had ever seen, which was only funny because both of his parents were rambunctious hellions. "Go downstairs and get Clyde." Bonnie instructed me softly before continuing to cuddle her baby.

A part of me felt gypped… I should've coddled my own baby, and maybe Bonnie would've been the one fetching Buck for me to meet his child. But the past is in the past, and I couldn't have been more proud to be the aunt of Bonnie and Clyde's baby. I never thought I'd say that, but it's true. Finally, I get to be someone's Auntie Blanche.

…Clyde…

She's the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on, and she's holding _our_ son.

How'd I ever become so lucky? I must be the luckiest bloke that ever came from West Dallas: I get Bonnie and she's all mine… well now she's mostly mine, but our baby is worth sharing my redhead with.

Bonnie can't stop smiling. She's practically glowing. Blanche came out of the bedroom to get both me and Buck to meet the little one, and I thought Blanche was too happy. No, Blanche's happiness didn't even compare to Bonnie's, or to mine when I saw that little boy in her arms. He's going to be clever like his mama… no, more than clever. He's going to be brilliant and we're going to take great care of him; he'll want for nothing and have everything he could possibly ever want.

"What're we gonna name him, baby?" Bonnie asked wearily. God, she must've been exhausted, but she was still smiling at me. I had been waiting so long to see that Bonnie smile I fell for when I first met her outside that café… I shrugged. What was the appropriate name for that little boy? Bonnie liked Billy (sorta), but she had mentioned a few other names to my mama. "Come a little closer, baby, sit by me."

I did so and got a much better look at my son. _Son,_ I never thought I'd say that word. I never thought I'd have a _son_, or a child at all for that matter. But he was perfect in my eyes. Of course he didn't have any hair, but I was pretty sure it would end up red just like Bonnie's. His little eyes were closed tightly and his hands were balled into fists—like a real fighter—but he was stretching towards me. I pressed a finger to his hand and he opened his eyes to see me. They were the bluest color I have ever seen in my entire life.

"That's your daddy, baby." Bonnie said to the child before kissing my cheek and speaking to me again. "So what's his name? I wanna get your opinion."

What could I say? I hadn't really picked out a name. All I knew was that he didn't look much like Al Capone or Jesse James. His name had to reflect how different he was from everyone Bonnie and I had ever known, except for each other. All we knew that our boy would be like was each other.

What would mama choose? Mama was always good with names (even though my middle name is Chestnut for crying out loud, what was she thinking). Mama didn't think it was going to be a boy, so she didn't comment on any names for a son. Which one did Bonnie like.

"Billy." I said, but it was really a question. Would Bonnie like it? Would our daughter like it? I didn't know. "William, I think, is the full name. William Charles—after your father, didn't you say that was his name—but we can call him Billy."

Bonnie just smiled at me and cradled our son in her arms. I put my hand on Bonnie's shoulder and just peered at the baby in front of us. He was a good looking kid, that was for sure. "Welcome to the family, Billy Barrow."

_Author's note: I have been toying with which gender the baby was going to be for a SURPRISINGLY long time and I guess it's official: Billy Barrow is the fifth member of the Barrow gang. For the longest time I was certain that the Barrow baby was a girl (which I made rather obvious based on my snippets and hints) and her name was going to be Gwendolyn Emma (after my grandmother and Bonnie's mother) and I had planned a few cute snippets for Gwen, her mama, and her Aunt Blanche. But I think that Billy and Buck and Clyde and… well, all of them… are going to have a great little adventure on their quest for "An Ordinary Life" (sorry, shameless title restating). Please review, my lovely readers, and I will update speedily!_


	13. Man, Wife, and Child

Man, Wife, and Child

Bonnie had spent more time in the nursery than she had intended. Buck and Blanche had taken the car to go back to West Dallas and pick up the bassinet, but Clyde was already fixing up the room without the bassinet even there. He was a surprisingly handy man: he put some shutters on the outside of the house at the nursery window, he hung up a curtain rod (Blanche had taught Bonnie how to make curtains, but Blanche did most of the work), and he fixed the rocking chair that had been on the porch so that it was suitable for inside use. That rocking chair was where Bonnie spent a great deal of time with Billy.

Billy was a good baby for the most part. He wasn't too fussy, and Blanche even went as far as to call him an _angel_. How Bonnie and Clyde were blessed with an angel neither of them were sure, but they weren't about to argue that. Billy was a mostly good kid, but that day he was giving Bonnie a surprising amount of trouble. She was trying to get him down for his nap, but he wouldn't stop crying. Bonnie was beyond exhausted and almost to the point of tears herself. Why weren't Blanche and Buck back with the bassinet? Blanche must've been good with kids. She would've known what to do. All Bonnie could do was rock him and hope for the best.

Clyde came into the room and saw Bonnie struggling to rock their son to sleep. "Havin' trouble, sugar?" She glared daggers at him. He had the nerve to laugh at her but saw that she wasn't in the mood. "Try singin' to him. I'm sure he loves your voice as much as I do." He kissed her forehead and she hummed in thought.

"Why don't _you_ sing to him?" Bonnie suggested, standing up and offering Clyde the rocking chair. He tried to refuse, but she coaxed him into the chair. "Oh, think 'bout it, baby. Once Billy gets to sleep you and I will be alone for the first time in forever…" She ran her free hand up and down his arm before attempting to hand him the squirming baby. Clyde had held Billy a few times before but he didn't seem as attached to his son as Bonnie was. "Come on, baby, just hold him and sing a little. He must love your voice as much as I do…"

He smirked at her but let her continue to hold the baby. "I do sing like _you_, sugar, I play the uke. You can't hold a baby and play the uke."

"That's true…" She slipped Billy into his arms and kissed his cheek. "Just sing a little, baby, I've tried everything and I can't get him to calm down for a nap. Please?" Clyde looked at her with a mix of disappointment and pleasure. He would do anything for her—he still would even now—and if that meant singing to his son he would try to do so.

In his experience the mama was always the one that sang the lullabies and was the nurturing figure for a child. The father was supposed to be a stern, rugged, and hardworking role model for his son to strive to be or his daughter to find and marry. He nor Bonnie were really _upright _citizens or real conventional folks but they were still regular people trying to raise their child. Bonnie was always humming lullabies, even once Billy was asleep. She sang a lot as is but now she sang more than ever. She was the happiest Clyde had seen her in a long time… well, not with Billy bawling his eyes out. Clyde would try to keep her happy, even if that meant singing one of those cliché lullabies… no, he would have fun with whatever he was going to sing. He made up lyrics and his own little tune that he originally made up for his Bonnie. His son, continuing to squirm, looked up with hopeful blue eyes that were eager for his father to impress him.

_"__I would love for you, my Billy,  
to drift off and go to sleep  
so I can spend time alone with your ma…"_

Bonnie smiled and playfully slapped his arm, waiting beside him to hear his sing more. The incessant crying had quieted drastically, and Billy just looked up at his father. It was all too clear he was happy to hear him sing.

_"__You're gonna have a great life  
you'll have everything you need  
'cause you got me as your good and clever pa…  
There'll be some things you hear, Bill,  
but I promise they're not true  
'bout how ma and I are villains through and through  
as long as you are happy,  
healthy and at our side  
why there's nothin' for you we wouldn't do."_

The lyrics were so sweet and thought through for just a little lullaby Clyde made up on the spot, but Bonnie loved them so much. She almost got a little misty-eyed at his rhymes. He was getting the lingo of a poet, and she was getting the toughness of a gun-carrying bank robber.

_"__You will be somethin'  
truly somethin'  
you will be whoever you wanna be  
doctor, lawyer, or an actor  
bet you'll be charmin' like your folks are  
stealin' everybody's hearts…  
I see your eyes closin' Billy  
though you're tryin' not to sleep  
though that is a waste of precious time  
while you're in here nappin'  
ma and I'll be tryin' to keep  
a love that's good, like our life of crime…"_

It wasn't a happy ending point for a song, but the tune did the trick. Billy's eyes were closed and he was asleep in his father's arms. Bonnie kissed Clyde with a kind of passion he had been waiting months for them to share again. "I knew that would do the trick, baby." She smiled as Clyde put little Billy down on the pillow-and-blanket cot they had made for him until his bassinet came in. Clyde and Bonnie continued into the master bedroom, closed the door, and locked it. They intended to enjoy their evening together, alone, with the baby asleep and their extended family out of the house.

...later that night…

Bonnie had snuck out of bed to take care of their whimpering son. It was time for him to eat again, so she sat down in the rocking chair and fed him. Clyde was still in the master bedroom and was asleep: no one had really gotten a lot of sleep in that house except for Billy recently. Bonnie held Billy close to her and hummed, stroking the little bit of nearly-invisible hair on the top of his head. A part of her wondered whether it was going to be red like hers or that dark blond like Clyde's. Either way he was bound to be a handsome fellow.

Clyde came in only a few moments after she was done feeding their son. "He's fussy tonight, huh?" She laughed a little but quietly enough to not wake Billy from his nearly-sleeping state. "Y'know, sugar, this is kinda nice. You an' me an' the baby, no Buck or Blanche 'round… it's nice to have this simple life. I see why people like it."

Bonnie smiled a little bigger. "That's why most people get married, Clyde, to have an ordinary life and a family." She felt Billy taking hold of her finger. "We don't have an ordinary life, or a family, but at least we have each other… all three of us." He kissed her cheek but pulled away, a perplexed look on his face.

That's when Clyde came up with a crazy idea. "Then why don't you marry me?" Her hand was taken away from Billy's grip and Clyde held it with a sincere squeeze.

"Marry you?" She continued to laugh. "In a nice big church, and invite everyone we know? Clyde, we can't do that."

"I'm serious." Clyde insisted with a grin. "I say at the next heist we go to a jewelry store, pick you out a nice ring, and make it official. We are in Oklahoma now, and we're layin' low. Maybe Buck can get a ring on his way back up… he certainly has enough cash…or even I can go out to the store before it closes, they must have a ring…" He kissed her cheek.

"I can't marry you." She told him but had a coy smirk on her face. "I'm still Roy's wife on paper." Ah yes, Roy. He had put that man as far out of his mind as he could. Clyde had never met Roy, but he knew that he loved his Bonnie back before he even knew her. And Bonnie must've loved Roy at some point, but did she still now? She said she wouldn't take him if he came back, but did she still feel anything towards him. "Isn't it enough that I love you, I live with you, and we have our son?" Bonnie brought up a valid point. "I'm already yours."

She didn't know what he really wanted. Did he want things to be proper? In their line of work, nothing was proper. He kissed her forehead. "Yes, you are. An' we're a good an' proper family." The longer he believed that the less he'd think about taking another man's wife. They were a good family, they were meant to be together. There was no denying that Bonnie and Clyde belonged together, and that their names would go down in history side by side. He didn't doubt for a moment that Billy's name would be remembered just as well.

_Author's note: well, this is a record low of chapter reviews for _Barrow_. Are you all still around, doing alright? You guys really are great, and I hope you aren't disappointed in my story. I'll try to keep updating speedily (school started Monday, so I'll do my best with this new schedule) and have a few little chapters written before posting so I'm not starting from scratch with every post. I'll also take prompts, if you all have any! I'm game for anything. PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW!_


	14. Jobs Must Be Done

Jobs Must Be Done

Bonnie put on a black and white dotted dress made of blousy chiffon. It billowed over her bosom and created a striking hourglass figure she had never had before. It was one of her more flattering dresses—Clyde had recently picked her out some suitably fashionable attire for her new figure—but it didn't feel right once she tucked her hair up into a chignon and put on her burgundy sweater. "This looks like somethin' Blanche would wear." She said, turning to see her silhouette in the mirror before putting on her heels.

"If you don't wanna wear it, you don't have to go today." Clyde called from the bathroom where he was shaving his face. Bonnie heard a weak whimper coming from the nursery. A part of her wanted to go in there and see what was wrong with him, but she was certain that based on the other sounds she heard Blanche and Buck were already in there trying to get him ready for the day. She didn't want to give him too many people to focus on at once.

She shrugged. "I'm goin', Clyde." She reminded him sharply before putting on her bright red lipstick. It felt good to have some color on her lips again… Clyde came out with a little bit of shaving cream still on his cheek. She wiped it off and kissed his cheek before grabbing the baby blanket and a small handful of cash. "Well, honey, jobs must be done."

…later, they're outside the shop…

The sign said exactly what it was: a Ma and Pa shop. Blanche rolled the pram into the store while Buck, Bonnie, and Clyde prepared for their heist. Oh yes, this was going to be an interesting one. She had protested that the baby should've been left at home, but Bonnie couldn't part with her son. This job wasn't dangerous. Blanche knew that she had a specific job: fill a bag with all the groceries they'd need for the week, set the bag down in one of the aisles, and walk out so that the others could walk in. She was so nervous as she filled the bag with apples and bread and the like. Bonnie stood outside the store, taking a drag on a cigarette as confidently as ever. Now that Billy was in their life the redhead had a "to-hell-with-it" attitude but the nurturing maternal instinct when she was actually around her son. Blanche didn't have that kind of confidence, only the maternal instinct although she was childless.

Buck watched Blanche through the glass. "You don't think they're gonna question her?" He asked his brother, grabbing Clyde by the shoulder. Bonnie passed the cigarette onto her confident lover.

"Will you relax? Nobody questions a woman with a baby." Bonnie watched inside the shop as well. Clyde put a hand on Bonnie's shoulder and forced her to turn and look him in the eye. "You sure you wanna do this? You can wait in the car with Blanche and Billy if you wanna…"

She shook her head and let a puff of smoke blow in his face. "I'm gonna do this, Clyde." He didn't seem so sure of that. She looked at the clock in front of the bank. "Billy won't have to eat for a few more hours." With his hand still on her arm she grabbed his collar and started to reach for the hem of her skirt. "Do I have to show _you_ my authority the way I show all these other boys? Let's go." He snatched her hand away from the skirt hem. Blanche came out of the store and Bonnie looked at Blanche with her specific instructions on her lip. "Get in the car and keep him quiet. If things go wrong go to the next shop and take some cash. There's some under his blanket. Please Blanche… be good to Billy." Bonnie leaned into the pram and kissed her son's forehead. Without another word to the brunette or another stolen glance at her baby, Bonnie and Clyde went through the door. Buck stayed out long enough to help Blanche and Billy into the car.

Bonnie hadn't lost her touch in the holdup. Blanche had dropped the bag in one of the aisles for Bonnie to find and pick up like it was a purse before taking it to the counter. Clyde was already chatting up the cashier and trying to get all the cash that was there (only about seventy dollars, he realized). He didn't even have to pull a gun on the man at the counter: the cash was just handed over when Bonnie looked at him. Bonnie saw the tired but happy eyes that she recalled her father having when she sat in his lap and he told her stories. They were the eyes of a father trying to do what was best for his child. Bonnie wondered if he pitied her, or pitied Clyde, or wondered about his family at home.

Too much pity, not enough shoplifting. "Let's go, sugar." Clyde said as he started to pull Bonnie away from her gaze aimed at the old man.

"You take care a 'im, you hear?" The man called after her. She looked back and Clyde stopped in his tracks. "I saw ya outside, 'fore ya came in. Y'all have one good behaved kid. That's rare nowadays, raise him up right, got it?"

Clyde put his hand on his gun but Bonnie stopped him before he could draw it. "He knows 'bout our son, sugar, what if he tells the laws?" Bonnie just looked at her with compassion in her eyes and a mouthed _trust me_. She reached into the bag and handed him back twenty dollars before bolting for the door. "The hell was that about, sugar? He could be callin' the laws right now, tellin' them that two thieves got away."

"He won't call." Bonnie promised him. "He wants what's best for Billy. And it's not good for him to grow up without his parents, Clyde, he could tell."

"Since when d'you know him that well?" Clyde sneered, but he saw the sincerity in Bonnie's eyes. "Well, we got away with groceries and fifty bucks, not too bad for your first day back. But next time it'll just be Buck an' I. If every trip we have to give a little of what we take we'll never get much." She smiled and agreed to this deal, but she knew that underneath his harsh words he didn't feel bad about giving the man a little money. It was the least they could do considering he complimented their kid.

…later that night, at the house…

Bonnie and Blanche were trying to get Billy into bed, but nothing was working. Bonnie fed him, changed him, and sang him a lullaby (well, a lullaby more or less, the classic lullabies didn't have an effect on the child so she ended up singing _How 'Bout A Dance_ more often than not) but that didn't work. Blanche took a turn, crooning one of the oldest hymns she knew, but it only made him cry. "We tried everything, Bonnie." It wasn't like Blanche to give up that easily, but that was exactly what she was doing.

"I know that, Blanche." Bonnie said, mischievously smiling as she thought.

"Well _I _actually want to get some sleep tonight." Blanche stated, rocking her nephew in the rocking chair and shushing him softly. "You know, actually get some _sleep_, instead of staying up with _your_ son all night."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Last night was the first night I asked you to stay up with Billy, Blanche." She reminded the brunette. "For a woman who wants to be a mother so badly you sure as hell don't know how much work children are." She could tell that her words cut Blanche a little deeper than she meant to, so she backtracked. "Stay up here for just a moment, I've got an idea."

Bonnie left Blanche with the squealing baby, and Blanche just spoke to the child. "Of course, she leaves me here, practically exhausted, with the baby. What's she gonna do, go out for a drink or somethin'?"

Bonnie came back quickly, dragging Clyde into the room. "Baby, please!" Bonnie begged, squeezing his hand. "Blanche should be able to go down and eat dinner with her husband. You can at least hold him, sing to him again?" Clyde scratched his neck and Bonnie took Billy from Blanche. "Go on down an' eat, Blanche, I think we got this." Bonnie sat in the rocking chair with her baby in her arms and Clyde behind her. He could tell that his redhead had been crying. "Please, baby, we gotta get him to sleep. I haven't slept a full night in three weeks."

"Well we can't blame that entirely on the baby…" He joked, rubbing her shoulders. He saw the look on her face and noted that she wasn't in a joking mood. "Bonnie, babe, why don't you go downstairs and get some dinner too? You must be starvin'. I'll see what I can do." Bonnie stood up and handed Clyde the baby, and without another word headed downstairs. She really was hungry: hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast. The whole busy lifestyle that was practically forcing her to skip meals was good for her figure, but terrible for her appetite. Clyde and Billy locked eyes, but the screaming was still practically incessant. "Listen, son, I wanna make myself very clear." Clyde started sternly, but still soft enough that it wouldn't come off like he was screaming at the infant. "You're cryin' 'cause you're tired, ma's cryin' 'cause she's tired of you cryin', an' there're too many tears in this house." Clyde used his thumb to wipe the tears off of the baby's cheeks. Billy quieted down and watched his father. "That's better. No more tears now, y'hear? How 'bout a lullaby, Bill?" Clyde started to sing the same tune as the night before, happy that it was just him and his boy and he could be himself.

From the bottom of the stairs, Blanche and Bonnie stood listening to the newfound quiet in the upstairs. All that was heard was Clyde's tenor voice and the occasional gurgle of the baby. Clyde always sang the same little tune, but it was wonderful. It always worked. "Maybe Billy just needs his father's touch." Bonnie commented, looking at Blanche very smugly. "Between Clyde an' Buck there'll always be someone there to calm him down even when I can't."

"_We_ can't." Blanche corrected Bonnie.

Bonnie stood by her words. "_I_ can't." And that was the end of that discussion.

_Author's note: So yeah, this chapter has been written. I hope it was alright, and I wish luck to everyone starting school this week (week two for me, heck yeah!) and please review! I can't wait to hear what's on all of your minds. I'll update as soon as I can!_


	15. Life

Life

She knew that it wasn't the life she was meant to be living, but she liked that she had been able to live it. Clyde and Buck went off to work—sure, it wasn't honest work, but she couldn't complain—and she stayed home with the baby and Blanche. It was relaxing for her but Clyde was unsure about this ordinary life being good for him and Bonnie both.

It had been three days since Bonnie had left the house.

Clyde wasn't sure if the last heist had put too much pressure on her, but she didn't leave the nursery except to eat and return to bed with him. She spent lots of time coddling their son—which was the right thing to do, he wasn't going to argue that—and next to no time with anyone else. Blanche and Buck took turns keeping her company in the nursery, but Clyde was hesitant to step foot into his son's bedroom.

Bonnie was in bed one night, kissing Clyde's neck but she could tell he wasn't in the mood. "What's a matter, baby?" She asked, cuddling closer to him under the covers.

How could he put it into words? A lot of things were _the matter_. "I'm glad to have you here—with me—out of the nursery, hon." He said softly, talking into a pillow and not directly to her face.

"Sorry, Billy's been real fussy lately. He gets upset when I leave him for too long—" But that wasn't what Clyde wanted to hear. "Seriously, what's the matter? Clyde, answer me." He rolled over to face her but he still couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Do you ever think, sugar, of how dangerous it is to have Billy 'round?" He asked finally, the words sinking deep. Of course she had thought about it. She had spent many nights and days thinking about it. It wasn't safe or smart to have him going on heists, but he was too little to leave anywhere by himself. Everyone was needed in those heists (except for Blanche, and Blanche didn't exactly have a magic touch when it came to children) and Bonnie couldn't part with her son.

She nods knowingly. "I know, but think about—"

"I don't think you know." Clyde cut her off. He knew how much she hated being cut off. She arched her back and rolled up onto the pillows before turning on the bedside lamp. "What if somethin' goes wrong, for you or for me? What if someone finds out where we're hidin' and the laws try to come an' get us? What if Billy gets hurt? What if _we _get hurt, and no one's left to take care of him? I don't think you know what you're doin' to him by keepin' him 'round."

Bonnie scowled at him, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't think _you _know what you're sayin' Clyde." She whispered angrily, trying not to wake the baby or the sleeping couple downstairs. "Do you know how dangerous it is _not_ havin' Billy 'round?" Now that the shoe was on the other foot, she fully intended to guilt him like he did her. The only difference was, Bonnie's words were going to have a true effect on him. "As you said, we could get hurt. But ain't it good we're gettin' to spend time with him while he's here? What if we missed his first words, or first step, or if he got sick an' no one knew an' he died 'cause of it? That's what this is comin' to, Clyde, an' it's morbid, I know. We're all temporary, him just as much as us. What if he grew up not knowin' his folks—the two of us—just two other adults that took care of him, people that picked him up in some orphanage? Not many folks have enough money to raise a baby of their own, much less someone else's. He could grow up not loved, baby, and he needs to know that his mama and daddy love him!" Bonnie was moved to tears, and Clyde tried to comfort her. She just rested her head on his shoulder and cried, bawling her eyes out like she hadn't done since she was newly pregnant.

He held her close and listened to her sobs. "We both have fears, Bonnie, and neither of us are wrong." He explained, nearly sounding timid. But that didn't soothe her sobbing. She continued to weep onto his bare chest, muffling her cries with his skin. "Babe, there's somethin' else, ain't there?"

She nodded but even when she spoke her broken words were softened by her cries and his embrace. "I ain't been sleepin'." She admitted. "I tried, but I can't. Every night I see the same dream an' it scares me, baby." With every word her voice grew a little stronger but still shaken. Tears quit flowing and the lump in her throat didn't keep the words from coming out. "It's always the same: Billy's in my arms, then all of the sudden he's gone. He's gone in the blink of an eye! And there's blood—everywhere, everyone, there's blood! An' if I go to sleep that's what I see… I can't stand it, baby!" Her sobs proceeded. He just held her and kissed her forehead.

"It'll be okay, sugar." Clyde attempted to comfort her before abruptly pulling her away from his chest. "You know, I gotta idea. What if we go to mama's? She'd love to see Billy, I betcha." Bonnie just nodded numbly. The words, although they affected her, she wasn't sure if it was a good idea. But was there a better plan? Not as far as either of them could see. "We'll go to mama's in the mornin'," And that was that.

…the next day…

Blanche tried to coddle her nephew despite his squeals. Jesus, Billy wasn't warming up to Blanche. He wanted his mama or his papa, and there was no one else he seemed to tolerate. "Bonnie, why don't you hold your baby? He don't seem to like me." Clyde was laughing at how much his son was fighting Blanche already. It was alright by him if the boy didn't like his aunt.

"You said you always wanted a baby." Buck commented, taking hold of his nephew's hand. Billy calmed down a little and Blanche passed him off to Buck. "He's a baby."

Blanche rolled her eyes. "I always wanted _us_ to have a baby, not someone else's." Bonnie snickered but clung close to Clyde's side. He wrapped his arm around her neck and kissed her cheek before stepping on the gas. He listened to his sister-in-law and brother struggle with their son. _How ironic,_ thought Bonnie but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her son. She looked around to see Billy wriggling and tried to take him from Blanche. Clyde held her back and kissed her cheek, talking directly into her ear.

"He's gonna have to get used to someone other than you, sugar." He whispered kindly. It was statements like that that broke her heart. "Mama'll be able to take care a him till we're set, got it?"

She didn't know which was tougher: leaving her son behind, or knowing that she was never supposed to become this attached to a life she wasn't meant to lead.

_Author's note: Okay, so yeah, this was the next chapter. Hopefully y'all enjoyed. I don't know how often I'll be updating and I'm hoping that you'll keep reading and REVIEWING. The reviews are going down and so are updates, but please let me know what you think!_


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